WITH the spring tide expected to return to a level of normalcy by last evening, engineers and others in the Sea and River Defence Unit of the Public Works Ministry are preparing to, from today, fan out and conduct a general assessment.
The exercise is to determine the overall level of damage caused by the unusually high spring tide experienced on Thursday, and what needs to be done to help alleviate a recurrence of the damage it caused.
Thursday’s Spring Tide, the first such for the year, overtopped sea defences in most of the riverine areas, according to Chief Sea and River Defence Officer, Mr. Geoffrey Vaughn .
He explained that while there were no reported breaches, his staff were stretched to the limit as several vulnerable areas, including Sisters Village and Goed Fortuin on the West Bank Of Demerara, Herstelling, Bagotstown and Friendship had to be closely monitored.
In some areas, remedial efforts to keep the water away proved to be no match for the exceptional high waves which pounded and subsequently overtopped the river banks, resulting in flooding of several communities and homes.
In the wake of Thursday’s flooding, President Jagdeo and a high level team which included Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn, and Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, began a tour of the affected areas before daybreak on Friday.
At the conclusion, the President ordered an immediate assessment of the infrastructural damage, in an effort to determine and set about strengthening the structural integrity of the defences.