Moraikobai to receive food aid

– radios to be installed as part of weather watch

Residents of Moraikobai in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice ) who were affected by recent flooding, will today be receiving food hampers from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC). Recent heavy rains over the past week raised water levels in the Mahaicony River, resulting in severe flooding in parts of the village, affecting farmlands and crops.
These food hampers will be delivered to 160 flood affected families and distribution will continue on Sunday. Administrative Manager of the CDC, Major Marvin Chichester will be undertaking the initiative. Deputy Director General of the CDC, Major Kester Craig also explained that the CDC will be using the trip as an opportunity to install radios in the village, adding that the village council will be

responsible for managing the communication sets.
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, it was pointed out, will be used for warnings and forecasting as part of future monitoring of flood conditions.
Last week, a medical team was deployed to Moraikobai to assist in the prevention of waterborne diseases; however, the team did not detect any outbreaks. This deployment was in response to reports that persons in that village had complained of itching about the body.
Guyana Times was informed that the regional administration is monitoring the situation. On Sunday, it was reported that a regional team visited several communities along the Mahaicony River, most of which were flooded. This newspaper was told that because of the flooding in Moraikobai, villages such as Mora Point, Pine Ground and Gordon Table were also flooded. Many farmers in these villages said that they have lost some of their cash crops.
Over the last few weeks, this publication 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.
Last August, the community had benefited from community-based disaster response training which was conducted by the Guyana Red Cross Society (GRSC) in partnership with the CDC, the Regional Democratic Councils, the Ministry of the Presidency, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown after it was noted that the community is vulnerable to flooding which put the residents at risk.