Heavy rains cause severe damage to Linden-Soesdyke Highway

Curb walls along sections of the Linden Highway have been severely damaged as a result of the continuing inclement weather. Guyana Times on Wednesday visited two of the sites in the vicinity of Amelia’s Ward and Kara Kara, where extensive damage was evident. Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Regional Chairman, Renis Morian, during a visit to the locations, explained that while those are not the only areas that are affected, the damage along the highway at Amelia’s Ward is life threatening, since it was caused on a slope a short distance away from the Kara Kara creek.

In an effort to alert oncoming vehicular traffic, a tire and markings were placed at the location to warn drivers of the danger. “Once there’s heavy rains in Linden, and we’re experiencing some heavy rains now, from the RDC (Regional Democratic Council), we would normally come out and check as far as Moblissa… we were checking on Monday and we realised that there was a heavy downpour – the rain would have dislodged the curb wall at Amelia’s Ward and the whole place wash away,” Morian explained.
While he noted that he does not believe that the damage is in any way associated with the quality of work carried out on the curbs, the Regional Chairman said many are unaware of the purpose of the curb walls and in many instances, vehicles will drive over them, causing severe damage. As a result, he said when it rains, the water is forced to divert off the roadway.
He explained, “Today and tomorrow we’re expecting heavy rains and the whole area could wash away. Right now it already get under the road so any two downpours, we could lose a section of the road.”
The Council, Morian added, has already notified the Public Infrastructure
Ministry of the situation and is looking forward to a speedy response.
“Apart from this, there are other breakages on the road because of the rain that would have to be fixed right away. Those are posing serious threats to life and limb, to vehicular traffic on the road,” the Regional Chairman stated.