ALTHOUGH floodwaters have started to recede in some parts of the country, water levels in Region 10 remain at an all-time high, forcing over 100 persons to relocate to shelters. Regional Chairman, Deron Adams, told the Guyana Chronicle, on Tuesday, that the conditions in the region are still severe, even with water levels dropping to two inches in Kwakwani. This community is the most severely affected one in the region.

“The water in Kwakwani is still high. It just receded about two inches, which is nothing to talk about; persons are still displaced,” he stressed.Currently, some 35 persons are being housed at the Kwakwani Primary School which was converted into a shelter in May, 36 persons have been placed in a shelter at Aroaima and 41 persons are being housed at the recently established shelter at Hururu.

During the interview, Adams disclosed that additional shelters were being set up at Rockstone and Hururu.He said the shelters at Kwakwani and Aroaima have enough supplies to last to the end of this week while there are needs at those in Hururu and Rockstone.Adams stated that persons in the flood-affected communities are in need of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and sanitization products to protect themselves against the coronavirus.

“While food levels are up now, they are asking for simple things like face mask and sanitizers to still be in conformity with the COVID-19 guidelines. In terms of not having persons discard garbage in an irresponsible manner, hey have asked for some jumbo size [garbage] bags,” he added.
According to the chairman, regional authorities have since made requests for persons in the region to receive financial aid and other forms of assistance since there is no telling when again they will see dry land.

“We have asked for financial grants for every household that has been affected. We have asked that businesses that would have lost severely [that] they do receive assistance and persons who are involved in agriculture,” he said.Additionally, the regional chairman called on the government and the opposition to merge their energies to bring relief to the country’s flood-affected residents. “This is a humanitarian issue, this is humanitarian crisis. This crisis hasn’t shown any discriminatory position of who to affected and so therefore the government and the opposition should have a bipartisan approach,” Adams stressed.Meanwhile, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) is working with stakeholders including Central Government, Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs), the private sector and non-governmental organisations to provide food, cleaning supplies and shelter to those affected.

To date, through its coordinated approach, CDC has distributed 15, 580 food hampers and 13,534 cleaning hampers to flood-affected households countrywide.Persons and organisations desirous of donating to the national flood relief efforts can contact the CDC on telephone number 604-9967 to make the necessary arrangements. Region Ten residents who are severely affected are asked to make contact using hotline number, 444-6121. Persons can also make emergency contact with the region via WhatsApp using 680-0022.