RESIDENTS of Region Three who were affected by flooding over the past few days are set to benefit from relief supplies which were handed over by the Civil Defence Commission to the Regional Democratic Council (RDC).

According to a report from the Department of Public Information (DPI), some 3,000 cleaning hampers were handed over to the RDC on Wednesday.

Those supplies were subsequently delivered to the Uitvlugt/Tuschen Neighbourhood Democratic Council (RDC), and the Stewartville/Cornelia Ida NDC under the direction of the Regional Executive Officer, Jagnarine Sauwack, and Regional Chairman, Mohamed Ayube.

The hampers were part of an intervention by the Cabinet Level Flood Prevention Task Force to alleviate the impacts of flooding on residents in Region Three communities.

In addition to hampers, to tackle the situation directly, mobile pumps were placed at strategic locations, and the desilting and cleaning of drains and canals were underway to facilitate faster drainage.

The task force reported that it will continue to monitor Region Three and all other regions across Guyana, during the current rainy season.

In a telephone interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Ayube said floodwaters were receding rapidly in most of the affected communities.

According to the chairman, while there had been a notable decrease in the water level at Zeelugt and Meten-Meer-Zorg, Stewartville was still inundated and an emergency pump had since been installed to address the situation.

When asked what were the region’s long term plans to mitigate the effects of flooding throughout the rainy season, Ayube said the RDC will be closely monitoring the sluices to ensure that they were operable and will ensure that all canals and drains are clean and clear to ensure proper drainage, especially in flood-prone areas across the region.

On Tuesday, a flood assessment was conducted by Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, during a visit to the two communities that were severely affected.

Although a lot had been done to mitigate the impact of flooding, Guyanese were urged to take precautions because of the weather forecast for the next few days.

In a weather update on Wednesday, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) urged Guyanese to brace themselves for more heavy rains. According to the release, rainfall could reach up to three inches along the coast and inland areas.

The CDC said: “Frequent and continuous rainfall will occur over the coastland and some inland locations. All other areas will see scattered showers throughout the period. One inch of rainfall could be expected in other parts of the country.”

Residents countrywide are advised to remain observant and take all necessary precautions during this time and report incidents of flooding to the National Emergency Monitoring System (NEMS) on 600-5700 or 623-1700