-situation remains ‘critical’ in others; losses continue to pile up

AS regional officials continue to work around the clock to try to alleviate the flooding in Region Six, persistent rainfall poses a threat to their efforts even though the situation has improved in some areas. Guyana Chronicle, on Tuesday, visited Ankerville, Port Mourant, and observed four pumps in operation at the outfall. This was part of efforts to bring relief to the residents of the Port Mourant/Johns areas and to drain water from acres of GuySuCo land and rice fields.
The pumps which include two fixed pumps with a 2100 gallons-per-hour discharge capacity and one mobile pump each from the Regional Democratic Council/NDIA and GuySuCo, were discharging water into the Port Mourant outfall during the high tide.
It is hoped that the drainage of the water would bring some much-needed relief to the residents of the Babu Jaan Housing Scheme that now has waist-high water in their homes after heavy rainfall from Sunday through to Tuesday.

Single mother of six, Dhanmattie Rampersaud, of Lot 226 Area R, Babu Jaan, said she is unsure of her next move since the flood has done extensive damage to her livestock, her only source of income. Within the past week, she lost sheep and “kiddies”, 60 ducks and about 300 chickens that were ready to be sold. She is hoping that the government can offer some assistance to her as she has no other means of sustaining her livelihood and providing for her family.
Another resident, Deonarine Sohan, related that the NDC has to be held accountable for the deplorable drainage in the area. He explained to this publication that while the community would have experienced flooding in the past, this is the worst he has encountered. He added that a few days ago, his family had to relocate to the upper flat of their home since the water was knee-high in the lower flat.

Residents said that apart from having water in their homes they have to also deal with overflowing septic tanks and pit latrines, and the unavailability of potable water.
Regional Chairman, David Armogan, during his visit to the area was met with numerous

complaints about the lack of potable water. In response, he instructed his driver to pick up a few cases of bottled water which he later shared out to the residents. This will be used until officials from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) can make more available.
He explained that the water had initially receded; however, with the persistent rainfall over the past three days it has risen higher. This development necessitated the placement of additional pumps at Port Mourant.

Over in the Kilcoy/Chesney Housing Scheme, many were forced to abandon their one-flat houses and re-locate to higher ground as the water is continuing to rise.
Nalini Chuck said she is at her wits end since she was forced to close her grocery shop after floodwater destroyed her perishable goods and caused extensive damage to her lower flat.

“It’s been almost a week with the water like this and I’m punishing. It’s real bad, my goods all destroyed. What I could have put higher meh thank God for. Up to the other day I buy over $200,000 in goods and everything lost,” the woman said.
In addition to her shop, Chuck rears livestock. She has already lost a substantial amount of ducks and several of her sheep are sick. She was able to build a pen on the dam to save the remaining animals from the floodwater.

A teacher who lives at the housing scheme, said she woke one morning to find water in her house.
“It’s really affecting me because I had to relocate. It’s been a week since I left because I can’t live here. I have been coming back and forth and check on the house, but it’s been harassing. This is the worse flood Chesney has encountered. I hope in the future we can get better drainage in this area that would help a great deal.”
Many residents have criticised GuySuCo for its failure to open a dam that was created to divert water away from the sluice towards the pump station and allow water from another canal instead to drain via the sluice.

“Every day since this place flood, one week now, me a come to this dam every day to beg them to open the dam but them nah do it. Yesterday (Tuesday) more people come and them finally open a lil cut but thank God the Regional Chairman come this afternoon and he mek them open It bigger and block off the other channel because three quarter people done move out from the scheme and if this nah been do, all woulda have to move out,” one resident related.
On Tuesday afternoon work was being done on the channel.

CRITICAL SITUATION
Meanwhile, Armogan stated that the situation in Black Bush Polder (BBP) is still the most critical in the region as water level in the savannahs rising to about 5 feet high. Excavators, he explained are working around the clock to try and empolder and shore up the surrounding dams to prevent any breaches which would be catastrophic to the residents.
“The challenge is the water in the savannah is extremely high. It’s about five feet and we are afraid if any dam break away at the back there, then it’s going to be a disaster. So we have two machines at the back there empoldering that dam, keep it going but of course it’s very soft and when the mud is soft the water pressure can make holes and breach the dam and when that happens more water can come into Black Bush Polder. So, we are looking at the possibilities of diverting water to other areas. As I said the situation is still very critical and it’s the most critical within the region, “he said.

However, he noted that the water in the residential area has dropped by some two inches in the main canals after the interventions of the Minister of Agriculture and the NDIA. The regional chairman added that residents have since volunteered their rice field pumps to get the water out of their yards and into the canals and the region has agreed to supply the fuel for the tractors.
“The situation is still very critical in Black Bush Polder. The water would have receded by just two inches but then as soon as the rain falls again the level raises to what it was, so we have a few more pumps. In fact the residents have volunteered to utilise their rice field pumps to ensure that they can pump the water from their yards into their trench and so we are giving them fuel. We are giving all of them fuel to ensure they can get the water out but the level in the trench is still very high. If the rain continues to fall then, it’s going to get back to square one. But as it is, we are hoping [that] if the rain holds for a day or two, we should be able to get that water down,” he added. Meanwhile in Mara/Plegtanker, on the East Bank of Berbice, the water has completely receded off the lands. On Tuesday some 200 food and sanitation hampers were distributed to residents of those communities.