Emergency monitoring system remains activated – Harmon

Canal No1 flooding

…say flooding could have been avoided

By Lakhram Bhagirat

For the residents of lower Canal Number One, on the West Bank of the Demerara, the regional authorities have failed them, and they are calling for swift action to alleviate their sufferings.
Additionally, the residents are saying that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), which is responsible for the maintenance of the main canal, has not cleared it since late November, hence the reason for the current flooding in the area.
Canal Number One Polder has been flooded since December 20, with the water receding during low tide — which is mainly in the nights — but returning to threatening levels in the mornings.
“Every night we go to bed the water draw down, but when we wake up in the

Threatening water level for this Canal family

morning, (there) is water everywhere. We can’t do anything because this water is killing we. The children them could not even enjoy them Christmas because of all this water,” Oku resident Dolly Singh related.
The distressed woman explained that she has been living in the area for over 47 years and flooding has always been an issue, but this episode of flooding is comparable to the infamous 2005 Great Floods.
“The drain; them need to clean the drains. You can see the moss deh out plenty,

Another flooded home

and how long Dairy (La Parfaite Harmonie) water nah draw out, we water can never draw out. Them ah clean, but it is not properly done. We didn’t get flood for over a year now. This time the water very high, and we can’t cook or anything here,” she lamented.
When Guyana Times visited the flood-affected communities on Friday, residents

Resdients clearing this Canal after days of flood water

bashed the regional authorities for their plight. This publication observed several of the residents utilising their own resources to clear the weeds from the main canal in efforts to get some relief.
Good Hope resident Vijai Ramnarine said he cannot quantify the amount of losses he has incurred. The man related that he is a large-scale farmer and all of his

An inundated home

farmlands are under water. He stated that more than 90 per cent of the community’s population are farmers, and they are now left to assess their damages.
“At present, we are suffering tremendously. This actual work that is going on here is the community is self-help. Those two tractors that are working there are private tractors, and we have had no help from the Government. We have been here since before Christmas trying to get some relief from the flood water,” he said.
“The water in the farmland is at least three feet high. Instead of using our vans or

Family forced to stay indoors as flood water raises

tractors to bring out loads from the backdam, we have to use a boat and the track; that is our current situation. There is no estimation for losses at this time, because we put a lot of money in that and it is still under water,” Ramnarine added.
He detailed that he has tangerine trees planted only about three months ago, along with a number of avocado seedlings that have already been destroyed.
“This canal supposed to be cleaned on a monthly basis. For this past December month, it has not been cleaned; and as you can see, the shrimp moss is in the water and it grows every single day. When it grows, it starts to wrap and form a ball so the water cannot penetrate through, so it remains stagnant. If this canal was cleaned, then this situation would not have happened here,” he stated.
Another farmer, Maso (only name given), told Guyana Times that they have been under water for almost one week before the authorities thought it necessary to have visit the area and assess the situation. He noted that the Civil Defense Commission visited the area on Thursday to assess but added that they are not providing any plans on how to get the water off the land.
“When you go to cut pine you have to go with boat to cut the pineapple under the water…these people bring one one mopstick and a hamper and give you here today (Friday).  All this cause because if the negligence of the Government. Them not cleaning the canal,” the angry man said.
Medical response
A team from the Public Health Ministry visited the Manram Memorial Health Centre, in Canal Number One, to ensure it is equipped with the necessary drugs in the case of a possible outbreak, and to prevent flood-related illnesses.
Regional Health Officer Ravindra Dudhnauth advised that persons residing in flood-affected areas should take the necessary precautionary measures to prevent flood-related illnesses. He detailed the specified methods to treat water, including boiling or adding bleach. He also advised that residents in the affected areas should avoid unnecessary contact with these flood waters.

National Emergency Monitoring

Additionally, State Minister Joseph Harmon visited the community on Friday to distribute relief supplies. At his post-Cabinet press briefing, Harmon indicated that the National Emergency Monitoring System remains activated on a 24-hour basis, with the ten administrative regions being actively monitored.
He added that monitoring is being conducted via social media, television, HF radios, and mobile and landline telephones, to ensure that there is a timely and effective response to any incident with respect to the heavy rainfall.
While all of the regions have been affected by the rainfall, Minister Harmon noted that several farmlands and some 200 households in Region Three — Essequibo Islands/West Demerara — were inundated as a result of clogged drains.
“Since the initial impact, an assessment was done, and heavy-duty equipment, machinery and so on were deployed on December 26th [2017] to the Canal. Additionally, all efforts were made to ensure that the pumps and kokers remain operational, to ensure maximum release of water to prevent the situation from worsening,” he detailed.
Minister Harmon said there have been minimal reports of flooding in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), with two reports of five inches of water being accumulated in the Albouystown, South and North Ruimveldt areas, and minor flooding along the East Coast.
The greatest accumulation of water, Minister Harmon pointed out, was on empty lots in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice). However, he noted that reports have indicated that the water is receding from all areas except Bush Lot.