–systems activated to deal with impact of rainy season
FOLLOWING several hours of heavy rainfall in Georgetown on Friday, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has assured the public that everything possible is being done to prepare for the rainy season and limit instances of flooding.
When contacted, he told this publication that work is being done ‘behind the scenes’ and that in the new week his ministry will update the media on the plans for this period.
The minister stated that all 13 drainage pumps in the city and its immediate environs were in operation on Friday following reports of flooding.
Further, he said that all kokers and sluices are working as they should and the engineer was checking all interlocking areas to ensure there are no issues at the outfalls.
Minister Mustapha emphasised that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has certain responsibilities to fulfill to reduce flooding in Georgetown. However, he pointed out that where City Council falls short, his ministry will have to step in and assist to ensure all pumps are working and all other flood prevention measures are in place.
He visited Main Street and other areas in Georgetown on Friday to assess the situation firsthand.
Ahead of the launch of the Christmas Village on Main Street, a drainage pump was installed to drain the area. The heavy rainfall caused the drains to overflow, flooding the street and submerging the pavement.
The flooding in the city on Friday caused traffic jams in the busy downtown area. Pavements were flooded, forcing pedestrians to walk on the roadway.
In flood prone areas, a large quantity of empty bottles and other waste materials were noticeably clogging drains, hampering the free flow of water. Additionally, trenches and drainage canals were overtopping.
When this publication visited the Liliendaal Pump Station and several other pump stations, the pumps were in operation. Even though the tide was high, water was been pumped into the Atlantic Ocean.
The Guyana Chronicle also visited the pumps located in Kingston, Kitty and Lombard and Princes Streets and they were all actively working to help reduce the flooding in the city.
Additionally, this publication visited several areas in Georgetown. Among the flooded areas were Bel Air Park, Regent Street and Avenue of the Republic. In the Smyth and Quamina Streets area, persons were observed wading through almost ankle-high water while motorists navigated potholes and other obstacles that were on the flooded roadway.
At Lombard and High Streets, Georgetown, the water was a bit stagnant causing the roads and drains to look like they were one.
On the lower East Coast of Demerara, some areas had substantial amounts of water, but the situation was not as bad as it was in the city.
Once the rain stopped, the flood water began to recede.
