By Alva Solomon

OVER THE next week, thunderstorms, isolated in some cases, showers of rain and thunder are forecasted for Lethem and other communities in the vicinity of the border town in the Rupununi.

The forecast is stark contrast to the dry El Nino weather conditions, which have impacted the Region Nine administrative capital and other parts of the region in recent months.

Weather reports and forecasts have also provided an illustration of wet weather conditions in the South Rupununi, a welcome change for residents in the area, including farmers.

During a recent visit to the region , this publication observed large swathes of dry land across the region, but closer observation from aerial photographs indicate green patches of land.

Reports also from the ground suggest that the rains are pouring almost daily in the South Rupununi.

The change in conditions in the region have been noticed by Mike Williams of the North Rupununi District Development Board (NRDDB) who told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday that the water problems which prevailed for months, since last August, are a thing of the past.

“Well, we have no cry from the farmers anymore because we have the rains, sometimes heavy rains over the past two to three weeks,” he said.

Williams said as the weather conditions change, the fear among residents is the roadways ability to withstand the vehicular traffic, mainly the heavy trucks.

In addition, he said that there have been at least two confirmed cases of dengue fever, while persons have suffered illness relative to the change in weather, including diahorrea and vomiting.

“We have those cases, but not to the extent where they are uncontrollable,” he said.

As regards fishing, an economic activity which the communities depend on, Williams said fishermen have complained that the water levels have not impacted the presence of fish.

“There are no fishes there because of the level of the water so we are hoping the conditions change,” he said.

William said the rains were pouring on Monday, a trend he noted that continued from the day before.

Former Toshao of Aishalton, Toney James informed this newspaper on Monday that the rains have been pouring over the past month in South Rupununi.

He noted, however, that some wells in the community are still not accessible, while the waterways are still dry in some parts.
“We have rains and we have water, but usually the savannahs would be flooded,” he said, as he noted the “strange” nature of the weather pattern.

He said too that reports from villages further south of Aishalton have suggested that the rains are impacting those areas, noting that persons have reported that the villages there are “more wet than the North Rupununi”.

During a visit to Kumu Village in the Central Rupununi two weekends ago, residents told this publication that the water levels in their wells have increased.

This publication visited Kumu in February and Claudette Ignacio was at wits end as regards finding sources of water since the well in her yard was almost dry. She complained of the salty content of the water at the time.

Two weeks ago, during a second visit to Kumu, Ignacio smilingly related that the well in her yard was almost full. “Well, we were hoping and praying and now we have water,” she said as she

walked to her well.

On the road to the famous Kumu Falls, vehicles have been carefully navigating the roadway since flooded plains greets the eye. At the falls, the water was beating down on the rocks of the land feature, a sharp contrast to this newspaper’s visit in February when the water was almost trickling from the falls, one the Rupununi’s prime tourist sites.

This newspaper also observed the level of the Takutu River has increased significantly, and reports from locals suggested that the famous Ariwa Beach, the dried-up sandy bed of the river aback St Ignatius Village, which is usually transformed into a weekend getaway for locals and visitors, has since been covered by water.