PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo has ordered an immediate assessment of the infrastructural damage caused by the recent overtopping of the Demerara River to determine the way forward in reassuring their structural integrity.
Additionally, ministerial and health teams have been dispatched to affected communities, in an attempt to mitigate against the spread of water borne and skin diseases and to assess the needs of the residents in the wake of the inundation, which left some damage to property and livestock.

Starting from the wee hours of yesterday morning, President Jagdeo visited areas along the East and West Bank Demerara and West Coast of Demerara that were affected when the Demerara River overtopped at 3.36 metres above chart datum, its highest for 2010, at 17:45 hrs Thursday.
The President’s first stop was Craig, East Bank Demerara, where he spoke to residents and got a first hand view of the effects of the overtopping. 
While the water present on the land just a few hours before had run off, the rising spring tide is still a continuous threat and has eroded aspects of the river defences and wooden revetments, over topping kokers, in its wake.

President Jagdeo interacts with residents from flood-affected areas during his inspection visit early yesterday morning. (Sonnel Nelson photos)

Some of the residents lost livestock and others have damaged electrical appliances and household furniture. Up to the time of the President’s visit, most of the residents were still in the process of re-sanitising their yards.

Whilst President Jagdeo assured the residents that Government acknowledges the gravity of the situation, he pointed out that remedial works cannot be executed in some areas as there is still the presence of water at some points.
In some cases, there was the lowering of the earthen river defences by human activity, usually squatters, as in the case of Herstelling and Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
President Jagdeo, firm on the fact that the squatters will have to be removed in order to properly assess and execute remedial works on the river defences, offered government’s assistance with the allocation of houselots.
Some of the residents who occupy the area explained to President Jagdeo that whilst they are willing to move, they lack the financial resources to do so.
The President promised the Diamond Squatters that the new week will see a visit by Minister of Housing Irfaan Ali, in an attempt at regularizing the situation. 
And while at Diamond, President Jagdeo ordered the immediate repair of all the equipment at the East Demerara Regional Hospital damaged by the water in order to quickly see the institution back to full operating capacity as soon as possible.
The President then joined Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Robeson Benn at Vive La Force, West Bank Demerara to inspect the kokers and river defences there. He then made a fleeting stop in Wales where the inundation was evident even on the roads.
In Goed Fortuin, President Jagdeo, Minister Benn and Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali reviewed the situation at the koker and foreshore, along with the engineers from the Sea and River Defence Department of the Public Works Ministry.
The Government Information Agency (GINA) reported that throughout his early morning visit, the President sought to assure residents of Government’s continued commitment to their wellbeing.
He noted though that whilst the overtopping and its resultant impact was not an issue of negligence but one of global warming through climate change, his Government intends to do all it can to prevent a recurrence.

On Thursday evening, Minister  Benn had announced that the Demerara River had overtopped at its highest ever and that this coupled with approximately six inches of water flowing down from heavy rainfall in the interior of Guyana, resulted in sections of the sea defence mechanisms being overtopped.
Minister Benn, after visiting some of the affected areas, told GINA that these occurrences materialized throughout the eight sea defence districts, from the Essequibo coast to Crabwood Creek on the Corentyne.
On Thursday, residents in certain villages along Guyana’s coastland, as well as Georgetown  commuters, were forced to brave floods, true to advisories issued by the Hydrometeorological Service, which stated that the highest tide during the current spring tide period would climax around  16:46 hrs and affect residents of  coastal, low-lying and riverine areas.

In down-town Georgetown, traffic slowed to a crawl as the ‘over-topping’ situation caused by the spring tide weather conditions took a disturbing turn, creating a bottleneck situation for the many persons desperate to go home.

Particularly affected were the persons living along East Bank, West Bank and West Coast of Demerara, as the bus parks in Georgetown accommodating Routes 42, 31 and 32 respectively were inundated.

Those persons who opted to cross over by using the Georgetown to Vreed-en-Hoop ferry service were also affected, as a section of the wharf was under water.

The situation extended outside of this area as well, and a quick check revealed persons wading along Water Street, America Street and other parts of Georgetown commercial centres.

The hydrometeorological service said that occasional heavy showers in recent days over most of northern Guyana are expected to continue for a while and the situation is being monitored.
A  weather update issued Thursday stated that the showers and thunderstorms associated with a weak area of low pressure near the Windward Islands, which extend to just north west outside of Guyana, changed little during that day.
“This system continues to show signs of organisation and environmental conditions appear favourable for some gradual development as the low moves slowly westward. There is a 40 per cent chance of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours”, the department said.
It said that as a result of this instability nearby, occasional periods of heavy rains were expected over the northern half of Guyana (Regions One to Seven).

Gusty winds, especially in areas of heavy showers/thundershowers, are also expected, it said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture’s National Drainage and Irrigation Authority has mobilised and deployed equipment and engineers to support the Sea Defence Unit of the Ministry of Public Works and other local government bodies to deal with overtopping of river banks and sea defence structures.
The Hydrometeorological Service is advising that Guyana is not under any tropical storm threat, watch or warning.
It said it is closely monitoring this weather situation and will issue another update if the situation warrants.

The spring tide period started and
will end on 12th September 2010. Sea conditions are very likely to be disturbed, with waves exceeding 2.5 meters in open waters becoming rough at times”, the Hydromet Service reported.
Meanwhile, engineers and other workers in the Sea and River Defence Division of the Public Works Ministry are to remain on high alert until tomorrow, when the last of the spring tides is expected to occur.