…Region 10 RDC dispatches health, assessment teams

REGION 10 officials are monitoring widespread flooding in Upper-Berbice community of Kwakwani, which at this time is affecting approximately 300 residents.

The affected communities are Lamp Island and Kwakwani Waterfront. Regional Vice-Chairman, Elroy Adolph, related that the water began to rise since last week but while there was hope that it will subside because August was deemed a dry month, much to their surprise, heavy rainfall continued to occur and the water level kept rising.

Areas closer to the river he said are flooded about six feet high while most of the other locations are under about three feet of water. The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) was notified on Thursday and is expected to visit the community soon. The Region 10 health officials will be journeying into Kwakwani on Friday, to investigate the environmental health impact the flood is having on residents.

Adolph related that the access roads into the central location of Kwakwani are currently impassable and residents are currently using boats as their means of transportation. The main concern for the residents at this time is food supply and Adolph is hoping that they are given relief in this regard. The VC is also concerned that if the situation does not improve, the affected residents will have to find shelter in schools and this would pose as a problem, since the new school term starts in two weeks.

Resident of Kwakwani Water Front, Cort Simeon related to this publication that the water level is rising faster than expected and all of the communities that are normally flooded yearly, are already under water. Residents of Lamp Island currently have to depend on rain water for domestic use because their taps are already inundated. Residents can still access food with their boats but the main barge that is managed by the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), is currently not working because of the flood and trucks bringing food supplied and other amenities, cannot be transported via the river into Kwakwani at this time. He is hoping that the water reaches a level at least by tomorrow so that the trucks can be transported and shops in Kwakwani can be restocked.

The flooding situation in Kwakwani occurs yearly and has been occurring for many decades. The residents took up lodging in an unregulated area, close to the Upper Berbice River and while efforts were made to relocate them, many explained that it would be challenging to do so, because they would have already built a life there.

Meanwhile, in a release the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Region 10 said it has dispatched a medical team to Lamp Island Sub Region Two, Upper-Berbice to assess the situation there as floodwaters continue to rise. The floods have caused residents to express fear and concerns. Regional Chairman, Renis Morian said over 220 persons reside in Lamp Island. He said while the region, over the years, has been informing residents about the dangers of living there, residents have ignored the warnings.

He said that recognising that they are part of Region 10, he and his council have sought to provide whatever support and assistance to them in ensuring their safety. Morian said that the residents are concerned and equally is his council is interested in the safety and health of the residents there. He said that with the initial reports that he has received, he ordered the Regional Health Services Department under the Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Pansy Armstrong and the Regional Medical Committee, to dispatch a team to the area first thing today to access the situation there.

Morian, in commenting on the situation, said that his RDC is closely monitoring the situation, noting that they are prepared to take whatever action needed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents. “We have noted that the water in the Berbice River continues to rise significantly and in the interest of residents’ safety and health we are sending a rapid response team to Lamp Island with medical supplies. While there, they are going to objectively assess the health and social conditions there, so that the RDC can take appropriate and most importantly, timely actions,” the regional chairman said.

Morian stressed that he and his councillors are continuing to monitor other areas within Region 10, declaring that they are standing by to take appropriate actions to ensure that communities affected by floods as a result of continuous rainfall can be protected.