Rising Mahaicony River puts Moraikobai, surrounding communities on flood alert

In light of continuous downpours across Guyana, residents of the indigenous village of Moraikobai, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and other villages along the Mahaicony River are bracing themselves for the worst due to rising water levels.
On Sunday, water covered sections of the community’s access bridge and surrounding communal areas, while rising water levels have also affected other communities along the river, with several houses in Sewe Village, Section Three, were reportedly flooded due to persistent rainfall over the past several days.
The situation comes as the Hydrometeorological Service continues to forecast showers, rain and thunderstorms across Guyana, warning that already saturated conditions could contribute to flooding in low-lying and riverine communities. The agency has also cautioned that continued rainfall could place additional pressure on vulnerable areas as water levels remain elevated.

The flooding in Region Five comes amid wider concerns over rainfall-related flooding across parts of the country. Over the weekend, government officials were dispatched to assess conditions in several affected areas, including Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), where some communities were flooded.
However, for residents living along the Mahaicony River, the concern extends beyond flooded yards and access routes but also farms, transportation links and other aspects of daily life. The developing situation has attracted national attention, prompting President Dr Irfaan Ali to dispatch ministers and officials to assess conditions in affected communities.
Minister of Education, Sonia Parag travelled up the Mahaicony River on Saturday as authorities sought first-hand assessments of the flooding. In a social media update, Parag said several villages along the river had been affected by above-normal rainfall, including Sewe Village, Section Three, where houses were reported flooded.
Meanwhile, Region Five Chairman Ricardo Phillips when contacted told the Guyana Times that the Regional Democratic Council has activated the emergency plan and continue to monitor communities along the Mahaicony River as water levels continue to rise.
According to Phillips, Regional Councillor Derek John remains on the ground in affected communities and has been providing hourly updates while preliminary assessments are being carried out.
“It’s not worrying; it has impacted a few residents. We’re doing preliminary assessments,” Phillips said.
He explained that the rise in the river followed approximately 48 hours of continuous rainfall and noted that such increases are not uncommon during periods of heavy precipitation in the area.
While regional authorities do not currently consider the situation alarming, they continue to monitor conditions closely as additional rainfall remains in the forecast.
With water levels already affecting communities such as Moraikobai and Sewe Village, residents along the Mahaicony River will be hoping for a break in the weather in the days ahead.