Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 25, 2017 News
Guyanese are being warned to take the necessary measures and to prepare themselves
for about three more days of consistent rain. This is the urging of Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, during a visit to the lower East Coast Demerara area yesterday that has been affected by flooding.
One of the catchment areas visited was the Buxton/Friendship/Vigilance area. Specifically, side line dam in Buxton is covered with water as the main drainage canals have been breached. A number of yards were flooded. The floors of some homes which are not on stilts were covered by water.
According to Chairman of the Buxton/Friendship Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Deon Abrams, the lower houses are under water. He said that residents will need things to get their homes disinfected and cleaned out. They will also need medication to prevent the outbreak of any waterborne disease.
This was the common scene in around the area yesterday. Minister Patterson said that he will alert the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) because at least until tomorrow continuous rainfall is expected at varying intensities. He said that CDC will be asked to prepare the normal sanitation
packages for those affected residents along the lower East Coast area.
“Here we will see what interventions we can take, if any. I know lower East Coast Demerara coming back to Ogle, one of three pumps is not working and that one drains from UG, Atlantic Ville and Industry. It was down day before yesterday. It is a major part. I don’t want to disillusion anybody, so I ask that persons in that catchment area to take whatever necessary precautions. We are looking at all our options. It is unfortunate. It is not something that could have been foreseen.”
He said that currently the entire drainage and irrigation network is stretched. Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, said that the entire system from Charity all the way through to Moleson Creek has been experiencing heavy rainfall. He said that this is the reason why all the pumps of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) are operational.
“They are all deployed helping out in various communities so shifting around isn’t easy to do. Everybody needs help. But certainly in terms of this area, there is a long range solution we’re working on before the end of 2019.”
Holder said that new pump stations will be built at Buxton, Vigilance and Lusignan. According
to Chief Executive Officer of NDIA, Frederick Flatts, the pump stations for Vigilance and Lusignan are under construction. He said that within another two months or so construction will begin in Buxton.
He said that the cost for all three stations will amount to $600M and at least two are to be finished before the next rainy season.
When asked about the Hope Canal, Flatts said that the sluice is working well. Further, he said that the East Demerara Water Conservancy is currently at full capacity and water is continuing to be discharged through Land of Canaan and Hope Canal.
He said that the alternative is the Kofi Sluice at Friendship, East Bank Demerara. “We’re managing the situation. So far there is no issue with the integrity of the dams; right now we have more than 10 excavators in the area there.”
Flatts explained that the NDIA has 58 pumps and the only one he is not certain that is working is located at Taymouth Manor on the Essequibo Coast. This is so since Flatts could not have reached the engineer at the moment. However, he said that all things being right, the NDIA is operating at 100 per cent capacity.
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