Sections of Essequibo Coast inundated after heavy rainfall hits Guyana’s coastline

Several villages along the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) were underwater following a heavy downpour between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. Residents were awakened to high levels of water in their homes and surroundings.
The heavy downpours have forced residents to seek higher grounds as the water continued to rise during the course of Thursday. Residents have since blamed the poor drainage systems in the region.
Since there was no place for the water to recede, homes, schools, businesses and others were affected.
Due to the flooding, Anna Regina Mayor Rajendra Prabhulall, along with his deputy, Rudolph Williams, Town Clerk, Superintendent of Works, Councillors and the Public Health Inspector, was on the ground assessing the situation.
The Mayor, while meeting with residents, noted that while some of the pumps are in operation, one in Walton Hall-Devonshire Castle is down, thus, causing the entire area to be flooded.
He explained that as a result of the flash flooding, residents have lost millions of dollars and as such, would need immediate assistance from the Government.
Due to the level of the floodwaters, families who live in flat houses will have to be relocated to a dry area. In addition, businesses have also suffered tremendously, especially vendors in the Anna Regina and Cotton Field Markets.
Rice farmers are also counting their losses as the water has completely flooded their crops. The Mayor has made an emergency call for the installation of more pumps to assist in getting the water off the land in a timely manner. Up to press time, the water continues to rise with no sign of it receding soon.
Meanwhile, Head of the Civil Defence Commission, Kester Craig, stated that they have received reports of flooding in Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam) and Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) and as such, he has advised the Regional Democratic Councils to activate their Regional Disaster Management Systems and to commence immediate response.
The Commission is monitoring the situation through its 24-hour National Emergency Monitoring System (NEMS) and is on standby to support the Regional Administration. However, a team from the Commission was deployed to the affected area.