CDC donates cleaning hampers to flood-hit Coomacka residents

The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) donated a number of hampers containing cleaning and sanitation items to residents of Coomacka, Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice (Region 10), on Saturday. According to a Department of Public Information report, CDC’s Director-General, Lt Col Kester Craig disclosed that Coomacka is one of the flood-prone areas which is constantly monitored. He explained that the Commission was made aware of the situation through its National Emergency Monitoring System.
“We allowed the community to respond through their disaster mechanism and also the region so today it’s a culmination of community level, regional level and national level response,” Craig is quoted by DPI as saying.
Guyana Times reported on Saturday that several homes at Coomacka Mines, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), were inundated on Friday afternoon after two culverts and a dam reportedly overtopped following a heavy downpour. Approximately 10 homes were severely affected and were under water as a result of the late afternoon storm.

CDC Director General Lt Col Kester Craig hands over hampers to District Community Development Officer, Region 10, Byron Kendall

Chairman of the Coomacka Community Development Council (CDC), Dexter Harding when contacted explained that $48 million was spent on the dam done by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) several months ago.
“This thing really started about a month ago. We had a breach in the dam which was constructed. They did some work on the beach to desilt the beach area and between the beach and the dam was $48 million… the water flooded homes, causing damage to household items”, Harding explained.
According to Harding, he attempted to contact the regional officials but to no avail. Nevertheless, he noted that as the water receded later in the evening, the residents were relieved.

One of the homes under water

The CDC Chairman said recommendations would have to be made moving forward. The community has suffered tremendous flooding and erosion in the past which has prompted intervention both at the regional and national levels.
In January last year, engineers attached to the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) visited the community to brainstorm effective methods of dealing with the constant flooding in the area.
As a result of severe erosion, more than half of the community’s river was deemed impassible, with residents being affected due to intense flooding.
Regional Chairman Renis Morian had noted at the time that the issue was compounded by years of bauxite mining in the community.