Linden flooded due to heavy downpours, neglected drainage systems – Govt

…multi-agency response activated in affected areas

Overnight heavy downpours on Monday have left several sections in the mining town of Linden, region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) underwater. Based on reports received, residents woke up on Tuesday morning to find several inches of water in their homes.

In light of this development, the government activated a multi-agency response. The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has since engaged private contractors to clean and clear the drains to facilitate better water flow and reduce flooding.
In addition, Bosai Minerals Group (Guyana) is providing crucial support with equipment to assist in the drainage and cleanup operations. Further, to ensure the safety and well-being of the citizens, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) will be establishing two shelters to provide temporary accommodation and essential supplies for displaced residents.
These shelters will be located at Egbert Benjamin Hall and another location which is yet to be named.

However, a release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, stated that the Public Works Ministry in collaboration with the Linden Town Council and the Office of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), is working assiduously to clean and clear debris in critical areas, including alleys in Wismar and the Retrieve area in Linden.
“Our government is working tirelessly to ensure that all necessary resources are mobilised to address this crisis. Explicitly, the recent flooding is directly linked to heavy rainfall over the last 48 hours, compounded by the municipality’s neglect of the drainage system,” the release added.
This issue, the PM office added was previously observed by officials of the Central government during a visit, prompting a cleanup of drains in the central Mackenzie areas, including in front of the mayor’s office, in preparation for the 58th Independence Anniversary Flag Raising Ceremony last Saturday evening.
“From all indications, the areas affected by flooding are a direct result of the ineptitude of the current Mayor and Councillors who are focused on collecting revenues from all possible sources while failing to maintain the drainage infrastructure essential for the safety of the residents now suffering from the floods,” the government added.
The call for a swift response from the central government—commendably coordinated and delivered within 24 hours in the form of clearing drains, setting up shelters, and distributing relief supplies—is the easy part.
“What truly needs addressing is the failure of local and regional governance of Region Ten and the Mayor and Town Council of Linden. Their collective failure to perform their duties, including taking advantage of the long dry season to clear the drains and clean up the entire town of Linden, is unacceptable. They even chose to boycott the town’s cleanup before the independence flag raising ceremony,” the government posited.
Nevertheless, the government believes that given Linden’s highest per capita budget, surpassing any other administrative region in Guyana, it should be better prepared for flooding.
“Both the RDC and the Municipality of Linden must now lead a massive cleanup operation before the next deluge. With the La Niña weather phenomenon predicting more rainfall in the coming months, immediate action is imperative.”
Meanwhile, the Public Works Ministry empathises with families who have suffered losses and wishes to assure them and residents across the affected areas that technical teams have been dispatched to assess the situation in conjunction with local officials to quickly determine appropriate amelioratory and remedial interventions.
The ministry stated that before dawn on Tuesday, the Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture’s NDIA, the Municipal and Regional Administrations, along a technical team from the Bauxite Company, BOSAI commenced a rapid assessment exercise across all affected areas in Linden, while teams have been dispatched to the Rupununi and other affected Hinterland communities.
The central authorities have since engaged two contractors to clear blocked drains and take other action to allow for quick run-off of flood waters in areas in Wismar and Mackenzie.
Traditionally, the May-June season brings the natural phenomenon of excessive rainfall and often causes negative impacts across some communities and sectors. Overnight rainfall around Linden measured 170 millimeters in West Watooka, 160.6 millimeters at Wismar, and 123.4 millimeters at Coomacka.
As such, the residents in low-lying areas are urged to take necessary precautionary measures to avoid suffering, while we call on stakeholders to join efforts to render assistance where possible.