8 months after Mahaica floods, residents say not ready for another disaster

Some eight months after a flood devastated Mahaica, the Hydrometeorological Office has issued a flood warning alert to residents of the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), including those of that very village, which was under water for weeks.

In an advisory, the Agriculture Ministry noted that rainfall accumulation was expected to range from 15.0 millimetres (mm) to 60.0mm over the next few days along coastal regions.

Residents in Mahaica, who were affected by last year’s flood, say the communities are not prepared for such high intensity rainfall.
In fact, the breach which occurred last year causing several weeks of flooding has not been remedied as yet.

On September 28, the sea defence at Dantzig gave away causing massive destruction to both farmland and residential communities. Carlton Hall, Harmony Hall, Glaziers Lust, Prospect, Highdam, Rebeccas Lust, Brooms Hall, Bath, Quakers Hall, Dekenren, Zealand and Planters Hall were all under water.
The residents claimed that they have not fully recovered from that devastation, but the Hydromet Office has now predicted that all regions will experience above-normal rainfall until July. Above-normal high tide is expected between June 1 and June 8.
At Highdam, one of the areas worst hit by last year’s flood, residents said that even though efforts have been made to seal the breach, the community has still been experiencing severe flooding when it rains.
Janette Bhandu, who had several inches of water in her backyard, told Guyana Times that the current rainfall has left smelly water in her yard.
She, nevertheless, stated that she was happy for the work done so far to seal the breach.
“But I don’t know when the high tides come again. We are scared,” she added, noting that the breach has not been sealed, thus still allowing salt water to enter their community.
Back in September, Anika Bissoon had at least three feet of water in her house and as such, lost everything she had in her garden.
“I lost everything, so I am trying to do whatever I could do, because I am not working and not getting any assistance from anywhere,” the single parent said as she tilled the soil around her tomato plants.
Even as she is making those strides, Bissoon says they are not prepared for the May-June rains.
“They have not done much. There is so much to be done…. Whatever they did at the breach there, the water is still washing in. Many times, when the tide comes in, it washes away the stuff that they put there,” she explained.
Meanwhile, Deo Lalchand is in the process of constructing a boat as he tries to make preparations for the worst.

Meanwhile, authorities have not been providing public updates as to progress made with sealing the Dantzig breach and other breaches which have since occurred.
The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) is urging residents in communities that are prone to flooding to take all the necessary precautions.