RUPUNUNI farmers are fighting to salvage whatever crops they can as their farmlands have been inundated for days as a result of heavy rainfall in mountains and savannahs.
Farmers are in the process of reaping cassava, a main staple in Region Nine, to make farine to sustain their families for the remainder of the month.

Michael Williams, a resident of Annai, Region Nine, told the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday that farmers are complaining that their farms are flooded, which means all of their produce will rot. “There is no problem for food…the farmers are trying to reap their farms to make farine. They will have food for this month, but when the food is finished they have nothing to reap; that will be the problem,” said Williams.

He foresees a food shortage come next month as the families would have consumed all of the food they had planted by that time. “There is persistent rainfall in the farmlands. The river banks and the savannahs are flooded, but we are happy for that but not for the farms that are under threat at the moment. Some of the cassavas are already black as they were under water for quite some time,” the Annai resident stated.

Similarly, several Toshaos have indicated to the Regional Chairman, Brian Allicock, that as many as 18 farms in one community are under water, but notwithstanding that Allicock said, “The situation is under control. We are using all of our resources (regional) available at the moment,” and by month-end he reckons that communities within the region will require a significant amount of rations. “Some people came out from Parishara…the cassavas are rotting…the residents there have come out as the water is receding.”

Another Rupununi resident, Tony James, told the Guyana Chronicle that 85 per cent of the farms located at Karaundarnao Village in the South Rupununi is inundated. Meanwhile, even as residents of Region Nine continue to experience floods as a result of the overtopping of the Tabatinga Creek, authorities are on the ground conducting assessments of damage caused by the flood.
Allicock told the Guyana Chronicle that the water has receded somewhat in certain areas, while farmlands have remained inundated in some parts of the North, South and Central Rupununi. “The water is receding, even though it was higher this morning,” said Allicock, who noted that while there is evidence of slow withdrawal of the water, there is cause for concern.

“This is the rainy season,” he noted, while adding that the report from neighbouring Brazil is that heavy rainfall is expected. Should the meteorological prediction be accurate, then that will pose tremendous travel for the residents of Region Nine. “…it is a concern because the water is coming from Brazil, but we are thanking God that the water in the outskirts is receding,” said the regional chairman, who hopes that the water recedes significantly so the region could return to a state of normalcy.

Thus far there are 38 persons in the shelters located at the Culvert City Nursery School and the Arapaima Primary school. Allicock said he received a call from a resident in another community who indicated that her family of nine is in need of assistance and that woman was scheduled to meet with him.
A health team along with regional officials following a meeting Tuesday morning was divided up into several groups and they met with those affected by the floodwaters.
Deputy Director of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Major Kester Craig, told the Guyana Chronicle that the situation is being monitored by the CDC and regional officials.

He confirmed that there was an increase in water in the Lethem area, but in other areas the water level remained stable. “The Regional Emergency Operations met at 8am and three teams were sent out to Culvert City, Tabatinga, and St. Ignatius and a medical team has been sent to North Rupununi,” said Major Craig. The CDC Deputy Director noted too that assessments are currently being made to ensure that residents are safe.

Potable water
Additionally, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has mobilised to provide potable water to residents in light of the flood situation in affected parts of Region Nine and the entity has established water distribution access points at the Tabatinga Pump Station and the New Culvert City Pump Station, respectively.
“We will be monitoring the quality of water distributed to residents. Water-quality testing will be done at each pump station and at strategic points in the distribution network. Testing of private wells will also be facilitated upon request,” a statement from GWI said. The water utility company will be assisting in the data collection to build a database for the affected areas, as well as assisting the Regional Democratic Council, CDC and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council in supplying the necessary pipe fittings required for the distribution of potable water.

GWI will also start the distribution of Life Saver filters and Jerry Cans to the region so as to ensure adequate mechanisms are in place to treat water and maintain access to quality water for affected residents. The Old Culvert City Pump station has been affected by floodwaters however, a physical inspection done has found that the well there has not been compromised. The situation is being monitored, but all pump stations are fully operable.
On Monday, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, and Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan along with other officials travelled to Region Nine to have a first-hand assessment of the floods. Several items were handed over to the regional administration to assist those in need.

It was not a rainy day in Region Nine, but it is clear that because of the closeness to Brazil and the connectivity of the varying rivers, it does not have to rain in Region Nine for the region to be flooded. Lethem sits on the bank of the Takutu River and lots of the water come from the Mountains – the Pakaraimas and Kanuku. It means therefore that the water enters from two locations, through the Rupununi or it backs up from the Brazilian rivers, Rio Branco and Rio Negro. Water from the Kanuku Mountains and the Central Rupununi drain into the Takutu River which flows into the Rio Branco and ends up into the Rio Negro and then to the Amazon and into the Atlantic. On the other hand, the water from the South and North Rupununi is drained into the Essequibo River.

It is because of heavy rainfall in the Amazon and Boa Vista and that the water coming from the mountains and the Amazon is backed up into Guyana, given the connectivity of the rivers.
Businessman Daniel Gajie told the Guyana Chronicle Tuesday that the “water is ponding” and is spreading to low areas. He explained that in his opinion, there was no rise in the water levels but the water is spreading across the land. “We are just part of this whole situation… if rain falls to the north in the Pakaraima mountain, by tomorrow water will back and we will see water rising again,” he said, noting that “things have stabilised”. St. Ignatius Village is currently only accessible by boats or high vehicles such as trucks and 4 by 4s.

Derrick Walter Mentis, also known as “Mr Walker,” said the flooding of the Rupununi is a norm and residents ought to be accustomed to the situation by now. He has been living in the Rupununi for approximately 42 years.
“It not too alarming…this is the normal Rupununi floods,” said Mentis, who noted that he lives close to the Tabatinga Creek and is able to monitor the creek in the rainy season. He believes that many of the persons badly affected are those squatting along the Tabatinga Creek which has swollen and caused flooding. “The old folks explained to them why they shouldn’t build there but they still went there…but it is nothing alarming from yesterday to now,” he added.