SEVERAL communities in Region Six, East Berbice-Corentyne, have been inundated by approximately 10 hours of heavy rainfall on Friday. The deluge, which started at approximately 04:00hrs and continued throughout the day, left in its wake numerous flooded homes, streets and roads, as well as a few fallen utility poles and losses of livestock.At Number One Village, Corentyne, poultry farmer “Percy” lost more than 300 chickens when his pen was flooded. The poultry farmer said he had 800 three-week-old chicks in the pen at the time of the flood, but managed to save 500 of them by transferring them into smaller, elevated pens. He is, however, fearful that their exposure to the flood water may make them ill.

In Canfield, East Canje, water that rose knee-high in some areas forced families to vacate their homes and seek shelter elsewhere. Many lamented that their electrical appliances had sustained damages and their furniture had become water-logged.

Having spent the night without electricity because the rain had caused three utility poles to fall, some residents of Fyrish/Chesney had the unpleasant experience of being victims to an electrical fire that resulted when wires were bridged. A resident told Guyana Chronicle that he was tending to his cattle when he saw the poles fall.

“Like around 5 O’clock I went to pen up me cows and me hear one cracking sound and see one lantern post fall, and it pull down two more. The wire bridge and it catch afire and it burn out the two wires at the bottom and start fuh burn the four on top… when it burn out, the post fall down,” the man, known as “Worm”, detailed.

He said fire tenders responded quickly but could do nothing, given the nature of the fire.

Meanwhile, in Belvedere and Tain, residents are blaming the NDC authorities for lack of vision, which they said has led to the many homes being inundated. “I deh in here for over 25 years and me never see one flood like this. Them had time to clean these drains, but nothing (was done). Imagine: this is one-day rain; what will happen if it gotta fall for couple days? They need to do better man! Plenty, plenty things damage!” one resident complained.

In Tain, one household was forced to pump the water from their yard, as it had entered their kitchen and was as high as their knees. The breadwinner told Guyana Chronicle that he also suffered losses, as many electrical appliances were damaged, as well as a new carpet that was bought for Christmas.

In Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, businesses were forced to close their doors early because of the floods. “The heavy rainfall and the flood even put a hold on business for the day. I think the NDC should be held accountable; they had a job to do: they were elected to take care of their communities, but same thing all the time. They go in there and do nothing; but this time it’s worse, ‘cause I never experience something like this,” a businessman told Guyana Chronicle on Friday.

The community of Port Mourant was also flooded.