Govt drainage investments pay off as 51 pumps help floodwaters recede quickly across flood-hit areas

…Pres Ali credits drainage upgrades for rapid draining
…closely monitoring heavy rainfall impact in Region 8

Floodwaters receded across Georgetown on Tuesday following heavy rainfall, with officials reporting that water levels began to recede within hours due to effective drainage pump operations. Significantly, the Bloomfield and Whim kokers, in Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), were operating at full capacity, with pumps helping to regulate water levels and support affected communities.
This was reported by several Government Ministers and agency heads who were on the ground assessing flood-hit areas and engaging with residents.
The Agriculture Minister who took to the streets to meet with residents provided an overall report on the update. He said that coastal regions recorded in excess of 112 millimetres of rainfall from as early as Saturday morning into the day, resulting in heavy, high-intensity rainfall over a short duration.
This led to water accumulation in several areas, including Montrose, Plaisance, Success, and the vicinity of Liliendaal and Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara.
Flooding was also reported in Canal No. 2 Polder in Region Three, as well as parts of Region Six.
Efforts were swiftly made to ensure that all available drainage infrastructure and resources were operated at optimal capacity in order to manage excess water and reduce flooding impacts across affected communities.

On the ground
Speaking during a walkabout convened by President Dr Irfaan Ali, Ministers were deployed across various parts of the country to assess the situation. He also met with regional officials across the country. The head of state said that investments made in drainage over the years have contributed significantly to the water receding quickly.
He noted that one of the challenges is that “in the highlands, in the savannah areas, and in the wetlands, the rain has been continuous, so there’s a lot of water that needs to pass through the system and a lot of water that has to come through the main drainage canal. Luckily the investments we have made over the years with the new dams and the drainage and the pumps that we have installed would have helped tremendously.”
He pointed out that the National Drainage Irrigation Authority, along with numerous ministries, was deployed in the fields to ensure that any challenge and bottleneck in the system was cleared so that there was maximum drainage.

“The report so far is that the water is receding at a rapid pace, but there are some critical areas that are disaster zones, especially in Regions Nine and Eight. For those areas, we have already made a commitment that we are going to intervene to support the communities, support the villages, and support the families but, importantly, also to quickly restore critical infrastructure, what needs to be rehabilitated, areas that have been cut off, restore livelihoods, and support communities across the country in cleaning supplies and so on wherever it is necessary.”
Importantly, the head of state said that an assessment was also done on health centres across the country.
“We have a 90 to 99 per cent stock level of all critical drugs that may be needed when you have these heavy rainfalls. So this morning, as I said, the cabinet and regional officials met, and we are now all across the country in the fields looking at the situation.”

4.5 inches of rainfall
Meanwhile, the Agriculture Minister, providing rainfall statistics, added, “The rain that we have had over the last 24 hours, according to the Hydrometeorological Office, is over 4.5 inches. The rainfall was very intense, and because of that we have had a number of areas underwater. We are seeing that the water is receding rapidly because of the investment we have made over time in pumps, excavators, and sluices. We are now seeing that water is draining very fast, and I am hoping that within the next few hours most of these areas will be drained.”
He urged members of the public to desist from littering.
“I also want to ask residents to desist from throwing garbage into drainage canals and interlocking drains so that we can maintain a free flow of water. When garbage is dumped in these areas, it impedes drainage. I also urge residents to work with the authorities – the NDCs, RDCs, NDIA, the Ministry of Local Government, and the Ministry of Public Works – so that we can work collectively to ensure proper drainage.”
Zulfikar also highlighted that, according to the Hydrometeorological Office, prevailing weather conditions are expected to continue, requiring continuous monitoring and maintenance of all systems currently in place.
Cabinet update on flooding
Meanwhile, Labour manpower and planning Minister Keoma Griffith, who was traversing through the flooded waters, committed to the resident the Government’s support to them.

“We are committing to residents that we will offer hygiene and cleaning support. What is most important is that, based on the rainfall, the water is receding, and this is a trend we have seen across communities. This is because of the investment we have made in our system.”
Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond also noted that the Government’s intervention efforts are already yielding visible results.
“We have just concluded an entire walkthrough of Georgetown looking at how the flooding has affected residents. One thing is clear: the interventions made by the Government are reaping benefits. I think residents were very happy to see the Government on the ground,” she said.
Minister within the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry, Steven Jacobs, shared similar sentiments, noting that the visit provided a clearer understanding of conditions affecting citizens.
“We are assessing the conditions on the ground and getting a true understanding of what is happening.”

Improper waste disposal of garbage
Meanwhile, Local Government and Regional Development Minister Priya Manickchand, who traversed several neighbourhoods, described witnessing what she called a “disturbing sight” involving improper waste disposal contributing to drainage blockages.
She said an individual had reportedly left construction waste along a roadway, which contributed to clogged drains in the area.
“These are some of the challenges we are facing. Someone carrying out construction work has left building waste here, clogging drainage and making the place unsightly. This cannot happen, and you are going to see tough action taken. Citizens should not behave this way, and enforcement will follow,” she said.
In Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), Government in a statement on Saturday evening said it is closely monitoring areas affected by heavy and unusual rainfall in the region and has been receiving regular updates from regional officials who are deployed and are assessing affected communities.