Communities along Mahaicony River still under water
Region 5 flooding
BY SHEMUEL FANFAIR
The lives and sustenance of many residents and farmers in areas along the Mahaicony River, Region Five
A scene of flooding in Mahaicony, ECD earlier this month
(Mahaica-Berbice) continue to be threatened as flood waters are yet to recede. These communities include Mora Point, Pine Ground and Gordon Table where many farmers in these villages have lost cash crops, while livestock remains under threat.
According to reports, other communities, especially in West Berbice have breathed sighs of relief since much of the floodwaters have receded.
Region Five Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal told Guyana Times that water in Trafalgar, Union and Lovely Lass had almost completely receded while pointing out that riverine communities in Mahaicony still have high floodwater levels.
Ramphal had also explained that it was “very difficult” for the regional administration to intervene in the Mahaicony locations since the entire drainage network falls under the control of the Mahaica/Mahaicony/Abary-Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA). He however expressed that the region was still monitoring the situation.
Ramphal had further expressed that the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the Agriculture Ministry were informed about the situation and that there was need for relief to the affected communities. One of these communities was in the Amerindian settlement of Moraikobai which he explained can take some three hours by boat to reach.
“I spoke to the Toshao there and he said that the water has receded but not to the fullest but the damage was already done and they still are affected because they can’t go back to the farm as yet,” the Regional Chairman told this newspaper on Tuesday last.
On Saturday, the affected residents in Moraikobai received food hampers from the CDC. These food hampers were given to 160 flood affected families and distribution will continue today. It was pointed out that the installation of the radios in the village is part of the CDC’s efforts to establish early warning systems in the community. These radios will be used for warnings and forecasting as part of future monitoring of flood conditions.
The flood situation in Region Five has been occurring at intervals for the last several weeks. On Monday last that this newspaper highlighted that the mobility of residents at Blairmont was hindered as their bridges were still under water.
Over the last few weeks, Guyana Times has been highlighting the challenges which communities in Region Five have been facing as a result of flooding. A breached dam along the Perth Canal in Branch Road, Mahaicony, led to significant acreages of rice lands being inundated last month.
