Prime Minister urges citizens to brace for tropical wave

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips is calling on Guyanese, especially those on the coastland and in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), to prepare for an impending tropical wave, which is expected to sweep across the Atlantic over the next five days.
The Prime Minister, who heads the National Task Force on flood monitoring, was adamant during a virtual meeting on Tuesday evening with other members of the body that systems needed to be put in place to ensure that people and their properties were protected.
“I want everyone here to know that we must do all that we can to ensure that citizens are prepared for these next few days. They must be aware of all the advisories and interventions taken by the Government,” he said.
The senior Government official also recognised the obstacles and shortcomings of the hazard response, but assured the Task Force that the Government of Guyana was working assiduously to overcome those issues.

This direction came on the heels of a series of updates provided by relevant agencies about the past five days and the upcoming five days.
The Hydrometeorological Office indicated that the tropical wave is forecast to hit the coastland, and Regions Seven and 10.
The weather service added that high winds, mudslides, and soil saturation are likely. The Agriculture Ministry, through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), has been feverishly clearing canals and drains, maintaining and operating drainage pumps and sluices, and rerouting resources to those affected areas as required.

It was noted that in the past, flooding would have been more significant in the vulnerable areas, but proactive work by the pertinent agencies, guided by the Task Force, has minimised that effect.
Meanwhile, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) reported that floodwaters have receded in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and as such, all shelters were now closed.
The swift actions of the Government have been lauded, for guaranteeing that residents countrywide have received support in the form of cleaning and food hampers, water purification tablets, and collapsible water containers.
The Commission also indicated that regardless of the weather predictions, it is prepared to assess, respond, and mitigate flood impacts.
The CDC encourages all residents to exercise caution during this rainy season and to report any impact to the National Emergency Monitoring System (NEMS) on 600-7500 or 226-1114 at any time. Persons are also urged to take heed of all warnings and advisories issued by the pertinent agencies.