CDC opens bank account for flood relief donations

…floodwaters in Kwakwani “excessively” high

The Civil Defence Commission has created a bank account for monetary contributions from prospective donors, which will be used to fund relief efforts for flood victims across the country.
Direct Money Transfers can be made into the CDC Flood Relief Republic Bank Account, Number 962356519938 and swift code: RBGLGYGG. Persons are asked to indicate that the transfer is for the “Guyana Flood Relief” and send a confirmation note to 604-9967.

The Commission has also updated their needs list, which guides donations based on necessities for affected persons. These include 75,000 each of one-litre bleach, soap power bags, hand soaps, garbage bags, multipurpose liquid cleaner, and black disinfectant.
Some 150,000 (2kg) bags of brown rice as well as bottled water, flour, sugar, salt, powdered milk, cooking oil, macaroni, chowmein, channa, split peas, molasses, black-eyed peas, baby diapers, baby wipes, face masks, long boots, hand sanitisers, shaving sets and feminine sanitary products are also needed.
In terms of supplies, the list includes black tanks, thermometers, treated mosquito nets, double-bunk beds, battery-operated lamps, tarpaulins, trucks, boats, mobile drainage pumps, sandbags, excavators among others. A detailed list can be found on their Facebook page, and in the respective sizes and quantities.

On Monday, donations continued from several Private Sector agencies. A quantity of food and cleaning supplies was sent from Ansa McAl Trading Limited (Guyana). Head of the Consumer Goods Division, Anjeta Hinds said that they felt socially responsible to help the flood-affected residents and as such, will donate more supplies at a subsequent time.
Unique Electrical, I & S Trading, and Regal Stationery also handed over food and cleaning supplies to the Commission.
The CDC has since said that floodwaters in Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) is “excessively high”, resulting in homes in the community being completely submerged. Personnel are managing the shelters in the region, and are monitoring evacuation and relief distribution.
Six shelters have been established in Region 10 at the Hururu Day Care Centre and Forestry Compound, Kwakwani Primary and Secondary Schools, Mapletown Aroaima (Nursery and Primary Schools) and the Rockstone Primary School. These shelters are providing accommodation for 135 persons.
Shelters have also been established at the Barama Building, Karawab (Region Two), Mortice Primary School (Region Five) and Tabatinga Sports Complex (Region Nine). Altogether, the shelters are accommodating 205 persons who have been displaced by flooding.

However, on Saturday, another 1200 food hampers were distributed to residents.
Meanwhile, Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal has conducted a two-day outreach in Moruca over the weekend and distributed hampers to 412 families in communities located along the Barama River.
Croal along with Regional Vice Chairperson, Annansha Peters and other regional officials visited and delivered the items to the residents of Santa Cruz, Chinese Landing Kokerite, Waikarebi, Kariako, Warapoka and Ayanna Landing. The residents had requested assistance after their main economic activities; farming, mining and logging were affected by floods.
As of Friday last, the CDC had distributed 39,564 food and cleaning hampers countrywide. This includes some 21,735 food and 17,829 cleaning hampers. Of that amount, 6335 hampers have been delivered to Region 10.
Apart from Region 10, the CDC is also monitoring the water levels in the Upper Mazaruni, Region Seven.
The CDC is liaising with all RDCs, Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority and regional and city engineers to ensure immediate relief is provided to flood-affected people. The National Weather Watch Centre has already predicted continued above normal rainfall, with the wet season ending in August.
It was announced that Guyana has been classified as a Level 2 Disaster under the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency’s (CDEMA) mechanism, which indicates that the national capacity to respond is not overwhelmed but external assistance is required in the form of technical assistance, specialised equipment, support personnel and information sharing in order to respond and recover from the event.
Despite Guyana’s situation being classified as Level 2, the impact of the flood in the regions vary, with Regions One, Three, Four, Eight and Nine being at Level 2, given national capacity to manage the impact, while regions Two, Five, Seven and 10 are classified as Level 3, based on the magnitude of the flood.

GLDA assistance
Meanwhile, as livestock farmers across the country continue to face challenges brought on by the ongoing flooding in several regions, the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) has intensified its efforts to assist with providing supplementary feed and medical services to livestock farmers.
On Monday, the Agriculture Ministry said that over the weekend, the Ministry’s livestock officers attached to the GLDA visited several farmers from Abary and Mahaicony in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) to conduct phase two of their flood assessment exercise. As part of their flood relief efforts, GLDA extension officers and veterinarians also distributed veterinary supplies to farmers who are currently affected by flooding.
Additionally, a number of cattle and small ruminant animals were treated during a house-to-house veterinary service exercise.
Livestock farmers from severely affected areas were forced to relocate their animals to higher grounds after floodwaters left their designated grazing areas inundated. Farmers have been finding it difficult to feed their animals due to pastures being flooded. Many farmers have also reported that some of their animals had died as a result of the flooding.
Farmers from Mahaica Creek, Abary, Big Baiaboo, Little Baiaboo, No 10 Mahaica, Ithaca, Blairmont, Mahaicony Creek, and Black Bush Polder are among those who have received feed from GLDA.