Traumatised Grove residents tell of losses after koker collapsed

Emotions and tears overwhelmed some residents of Grove, East Bank Demerara, on Thursday – one day after they were ambushed by high floodwaters when a nearby koker collapsed.

When Guyana Times made a second visit to the area in the morning, individuals from the community were still in the process of bailing out water from their houses and putting soaked items to dry in their yards.
Simultaneously, works were completed to install an improvised door at the sluice to cater for a predicted high tide later in the afternoon, when the water would rise again. This system is expected to last a few days until the original door is replaced.
Parbattie Paul, who suffered major losses, told this publication that she was in her kitchen when someone shouted that the koker “breakaway”. In that instant, the 57-year-old woman said she ran outside and saw water rushing in through the drains and onto her property.

“When I rush out, the water was in the drains and street coming in. Water was coming only from the front, in no time, it was also coming from the back. We were trying to get sandbags to place at the door so that the water would not go in, but that did not help us,” the distraught woman expressed.
It took just a few minutes for floodwaters to gush into the woman’s house, despite placing sandbags at the entrance. They were forced to empty all the wet items and appliances outside to clean the house. Paul said her appliances were completely damaged. Eleven persons reside at her home, and they were contemplating their next move since the water destroyed their food supplies as well.

“We tried packing sandbags, but by the time we got into the house, it was under water. We put everything outside wet. This morning, my husband tried to put on the fridge, but it wasn’t working. A lot of things damaged for us…I feel so weak and devastated. I have six grandchildren. We had some good neighbours that gave us some porridge this morning because all the goods damaged,” Paul cried.
A short distance away, Celestine Butters explained that she had just come home when her nephew informed her that the sluice had collapsed. In a split second, the water came rushing in, and Butters scurried to move her car from the yard. When she returned, the house was inundated.
“The water started rushing all the way in. I drove the car in water, and by the time I got in back, there was water just all over. There was nothing I could’ve picked up. We couldn’t save anything.”

On Thursday, some public-spirited persons helped her to pump some of the water from the lower flat of the building. Butters said her daughter’s medical books were damaged, along with appliances and household items. At that time, some of her items were still floating in floodwaters.
“We’ve been trying with a water pump. We’re also doing it by hand, and there’s a lot of damages. The water is still up. I brought everything outside…It’s millions of dollars,” she estimated.

Temporary fix
Over at the sluice, one of the workers indicated that the temporary fix will prevent any flooding until a new door is installed. They have installed two supplementary doors at the front and back of the koker under the main structure.
Imran Hussain said these doors constantly erode due to barnacle activities, which makes the wood weaker. According to him, such situations are not highly preventable. By 12:00h, the repair works had concluded, and persons in the community remained on alert for the afternoon high tide.
“The door was there for about four or five years. When barnacle eat it out, it get weak, and the water pressure break it, so it’s not anybody’s fault,” he shared.
Meanwhile, a Councillor of the Diamond-Grove Neighbourhood Democratic Council, Heman Ramphal, lauded the officials for their quick response on Wednesday night to secure the breach. He said villagers with livestock suffered the most losses. Ramphal told the media that the sluice operator would have reported another issue a few days back to the Drainage and Irrigation Authority, which was addressed.
“Within three to four days, they will build another door. So far, we visited residents with the Ministers. The response was genuine. I’m so happy with that. We had a quick response in less than an hour…It’s just the water in the yard, but people that does cattle rearing, they had to evacuate them,” the Councillor stated.
Shortly after the floodwaters hit at about 17:30h on Wednesday evening, Prime Minister, Brigadier Mark Phillips was accompanied by several Ministers to the location where they proceeded to provide relief to residents. The Diamond Secondary School was earmarked as a shelter, where persons could access facilities until their situation was under control.
Phillips, who has responsibility for the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), said residents would be supplied with sanitation materials and hampers. (Rupa Seenaraine)