– NDIA is calling on residents of low-lying areas to take precaution
As a result of the high amount of rainfall over the weekend, particularly on the East Coast of Demerara, the Agriculture Ministry, as well as its sub-agency, the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), is calling on residents and farmers in low lying and vulnerable areas to take the necessary precautions against flooding as the existing drainage infrastructure is only designed to take off 1.5 inches of rainfall.
Persons living in vulnerable areas are asked to be more vigilant at this time. Affected areas in Region Four include Ann’s Grove, Beehive, Two Friends,
Nootenzuil, Montrose and Annandale. In Region Three, Windsor Forest, Parika,
Pouderoyen and Canals No.1 and 2, while in Region Five, the water level has
risen in the Mahaica and Mahaicony Creeks.
The Ministry is also calling on all Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs), Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), local authorities, farmers and residents to be on high alert to ensure all pumps are operational, drains and canals are cleared and all drainage infrastructure is intact as there may be incidents of flash flooding in low lying and vulnerable areas across the coast.
In response to the recent heavy rainfall which is likely to persist for the next 48 hours, with heavier amounts very likely during the early morning hours, the Ministry will be making interventions in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and Ten. These include:

Region Two
1. Cleaning of outfall channels at Anna Regina, Two Friends, Lima, Devonshire Castle, Perth, Westbury, Charity, Capoey, Affiance, Three Friends, Unu Creek and La Union.
2. Excavation of outfalls at Somerset and Berks.
3. Ongoing maintenance of all hydro flow pumps (by the RDC)
4. Desiltation of 1200 rods of canal in Henrietta
5. Clearing outfall channel at Lima (by  Dartmouth NDC)
6. NDCs maintaining and clearing canals along the coast

Region Three
1. Two excavators carrying out rehabilitation works at Hubu, and rehabilitation of canals at Hubu, Vergenoegen, Parika and Tuschen
2. Excavator carrying out remedial works at Boerasirie
3. Repairs for sluice doors at Parika and Den Amstel
4. Excavating façade from Windsor Forest to Vreed-en-Hoop.
5. Installation of mobile drainage pumps at Windsor Forest and one mobile drainage pump also being deployed to Leguan, Region No. Three.
6. Clearing and excavating outfalls channels at Windsor Forest, Canal No.1, Canal No.2, A-Line, Schoonard, Vreed-en-Hoop, Bell Vue, Wales, Patentia, Sanbatch, Patosi, VL-Sluice and La Rensio and works are currently ongoing at Versailles.
7. Cleaning inlet channels at A-Line, Schoonard, Barnwell, Philadelphia, Vergenoegen, Hague, La Jalousie, Den Amstel and Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara.
8. Sluice doors at Windsor Forest and Hague were replaced and a new structure at Amersfoort, Wakenaam is completed.
9. Excavating Canal No.2 main drain
10. Machine to commence work on damaged A-Line dam
11. Monitoring and maintaining drains and canals (NDCs)
Region Four
1. Installed drainage pumps at Supply, Mahaica, Paradise, Enmore, Greenfield, Hope and Belfield.
2. Dredging completed at the Greenfield outfall and the dredging equipment to commence work at the Hope outfall
3. Fixing Garden of Eden koker
4. Completed drainage works at Mocha to assist farmers
5. Clearing and de-weeding waterways and dams in the EDWC
6. Monitoring and daily checks of EDWC dams
7. Both the Liliendaal and Kitty pumps are fully operational.
8. Excavated outfalls channels at Little Diamond, Herstelling and Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara.
9. NDIA to commence dredging of outfall channels at Belfield, Victoria, Golden Grove and Buxton.
10. Dredging of pump basins at Triumph, Strathspey, Enmore and an inlet channel at Greenfield.
11. Installation of new sluice doors at Greenfield and rehabilitation of the crown dam from Hope to Greenfield.
12. Dredging of outfall channels undertaken at the Cowan Street and Kingston outfalls.
13. Cleaning and clearing key drains and canals in Meadow Bank, Kingston, West Ruimveldt, East Ruimveldt, East La Penitence and North Ruimveldt.
14. RDC carrying out maintenance works on drains and canals as well as pumps
15. CDCs working in affected areas such as Buxton, Better Hope, Anns Grove, Douchfour, Beehive and LBI.

Region Five
1. Excavating, building embankments and empoldering in Mahaicony to facilitate continued agricultural activity.
2. Building both the right and left flood embankments in Mahaica and assisting farmers with the installation of tubes or clearing canals.
3. In Abary, in the longer term, to increase the drainage capacity, a sluice is being built at Profitt.
4. Ongoing empoldering at Little Biabu and the completion of a new drainage structure at Jeenarine Canal.
5. De-weeding of the Mahaica and Mahaicony Creeks by the NDIA in an effort to have free flow of water.

Region Six
1. Desilting and excavating outfalls at No.43 and Eversham, whilst Letter Kenny, No.51 and Adventure are completed.
2. Mobile pumps deployed to Whim and Liverpool
3. Excavation and clearing at Black Bush Polder
4. Excavation and clearing at Yakusari and New Forest
5. Mechanical repairs ongoing for pumps at Whim
6. Excavation and clearing at Bushlot
7. Mobile drainage pumps deployed to Crabwood Creek and No.43
8. Installation of drainage pump at Eversham
9. Rehabilitation of drains and canals in Black Bush Polder
10. Cleaning main internal drains at Albion
11. RDC monitoring and maintaining drains and canals

Region Ten
1. Dredging has commenced at Kara Kara
2. The NDIA’s Community Drainage and Irrigation Project workers have been clearing and cleaning drains, weeding parapets and removing garbage from drains.
3. Starting first half of maintenance works. Planned works which include
manual cleaning and desilting of Paddy Creek and drains in West Watooka, Rockstone, Aouraka Creek in Cinderella City, Creeks in Sibirien/Old England, Creek in Poker Street area, drainage channels in Retrieve/Bulletwood Street, Canvas City and Campbell Creeks, Creek in First, Second and Third Alley area, drains in Industrial Area, Wakanabu Creek and Green Valley creek at an estimated to cost of over $15M.
4. Completion of new drainage structures at Blueberry Hill at a cost of over $10M.
Through the NDIA and Hydromet Service, the Ministry will continue to monitor the situation closely and make interventions where necessary and assured that there need not be any alarm as the NDIA has the capacity to deal with the situation.
Farmers in affected areas who need assistance are advised to contact the Ministry on hotline numbers 227-5049 or 227-2204