Berbice swamped as river overtops banks

– scores evacuate homes, in search of higher ground

By Michael Itwaru

Heavy winds  accompanied by incessant overnight rains and high tide have left areas close to the banks of the Berbice River deluged with hundreds of residents being forced to evacuate the lower flats of their houses and seek refuge on higher grounds.
Cash and livestock farmers are also counting huge losses.  In a statement, Regional Chairman Permaul Armogan confirmed that there was no breach in the sea defences in the region, but the flooding was as a result of the Berbice River overflowing its banks. He stated that based on technical advice, he understands that the very high wind compounded the situation, resulting in high waves. According to Armogan, the region has received reports from all the areas along the river the flooding has occurred.

Vendors moving items to higher grounds at the NA Market

He confirmed that there was some flooding in East Bank Berbice communities, all the way to Mara. The Canje River also overflowed, dumping water in the Sheet Anchor area and a very small amount in Fort Ordnance. He said the region is bracing for another high tide Thursday afternoon while the predictions show that the tide should start dropping Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile, on the eastern side of the Berbice River, residents along the western half of Stanleytown woke up to a chaotic situation as water was already flooding the streets from areas between 45 to 31 Stanleytown with the exception of Number 36 Village, which was dry when this publication passed through.
Most residents had done their best in lifting household items to a higher level, and save what else they could have and moved to the upper flat, or sought lodging out of the area with relatives, especially for those who are tenants. From all indications, there is extensive damage to property since there was no advisory that the Berbice River would have overflowed its banks. The depth of the water on the roadway was such that it was impossible to not get soaked even in a high long booth.
Residents assembled at the head of the streets to talk about their dilemma. Children as per norm were having fun riding up and down the flooded streets. Some young boys related that they killed many snakes since the day started. Snakes were found swimming around in the lower flats of peoples’ houses and bedrooms. A watchman at the DDL Wharf at Number 50 Stanleytown along Water Street related to this publication that when he arrived at work around 06:00h Thursday, his workmates told him that they observed a nearby koker overflowing about 05:00h, then the street, and by 07:00h, many of the yards around were already under several inches of water.
Residents said that this is the worse flood they have ever had, because on other occasions, the water would be in the yard only, but this time it is more intense. A resident Leon Frank said he has resided at Number 47 Stanelytown for seven years and Thursday morning was the first occasion he could not enter his yard because of the volume of water. He was heading to investigate how a friend was coping with the situation several streets away when this publication met him.

A vendor cleaning up her stall at the New Amsterdam Market

“When I wake up this morning and a go to come downstairs… I can’t come down… I wake up about 06:03h, water nearly ketch me knee… I rode from Philadelphia Street till unto Number 47 and is every street under water on the waterside, and the water more than two feet… You gaffo deh upstairs in de verandah, you can’t come downstairs… the water cover me bicycle wheel.”
According to Frank, some tenants living next door in a lower flat had to lock up and leave because the water was too much. He related that they had to put the refrigerator on the bed.
He said the problem would be solved only if proper sea defense in erected. A group of youngsters sitting at the head of Number 46 Village on the water side explained that the water is above knee level in their yards and everybody living downstairs was in trouble.
Rosannah Asregadoo was at the head of Number 45 Village looking at the flooded roadway in despair. She resides at the downstairs of her sister-law’s house and is very concerned about the safety of her 21- month-old baby. The entire lower flat is under water and all the household items at ground level was soaked. She was forced to share the upstairs with her sister-in-law Susan Ramnarine.  “I see high tides but it never come in a damage the house… everything damage right now… me fridge… daughter school books… everything damage.”

A flooded ground-floor apartment at Philadelphia Street, New Amsterdam

According to Ramnarine, her shop is under inches of water and she and her husband realised what was happening around 05:30h. “When the water start come through the street, it black ,black and stink… this place duck quick ,quick… we never experience nothing like this here…”
Residents who owned cars had to park them along the main road and people were busy cleaning up and assessing their losses. Pit latrines and septic tanks were all underwater. From Philadelphia Street to Strand Road, yards and businesses were flooded.
A pepper farm owned by Anthony Amerrally along Strand Road was also under water with several hundreds of bearing plants in jeopardy. One extreme case was the New Amsterdam Market where vendors reported that more than 12 inches of water was in the market when they arrived for work around 07:00h.
At the market, there was much confusion with vendors walking back and forth with buckets and rubber gloves fetching water and mopping out their business places. Every stall operator was busy looking though their merchandises and counting the losses in all sections of the market at the ground level, except the fisheries.
The fire service was assisting Town Council staff to pump water out of the flooded market which sits in an area not more than 200 metres away from the bank of the Berbice River.
Deputy Mayor Harold Debedin was present in the market overseeing the clean-up exercise, and he confirmed that the situation was very bad.
“All the sections of the market has been affected and after visiting at the back of the market, I have come to realise that we need a sea defense at the back there now to stop the water… the Berbice River has not been dredged for many years and that needs to be addressed… people got to stop throwing their boxes and garbage in the drainage system… now they come to realised the effects of these things, its comes back to haunt them.”

Fruit vendors battling floodwaters

One vendor who gave her name as “Soda” was busy disinfecting and trying to sweep water accumulated in a large pool near her stand. The woman, who has been selling in the market for 25 years, said the flooding was the worst she had seen at the facility.
“Now all dem rice… all dem paddy, everything wet… now you gaffo wash because it stink… you can’t stay here… I come seven ‘o’clock and  see the water about five inch… it get into ever body cupboard which is just inches above the ground and everybody experience loss… everybody getting the same work this morning.”
The New Amsterdam Family Health Clinic at Strand was also under several inches of water. Around 15:00h, residents reported that the water was still there but was moving off slowly.

Region Five
Over at Region Five, areas closest to the bank of the Berbice River at Blairmont were severely affected.
Affected residents told this publication that a weak portion of the sea dam gave way and with seconds, over three feet of water rushed in and flooded the entire settlement. This area rests a stones’ throw from the western bank of the Berbice River.
Nazeema Bacchus said she awoke about 05:30h to offer prayers with her mother-in-law when she observed water rushing into the lower flat of her house, flooding the kitchen within seconds and soaking all the food stuff, refrigerator and other appliances. There was little she could have done with her husband and his mothers’ help.

Pumping water out of the NA Market

About 40 to 50 meat birds and layers drowned, or were killed by the ice cold water. She related that there was about 30 inches of water in the kitchen and even more in the chicken pens. According to Bacchus, it took about two minutes for the water to reach that level, and all the feed for the birds were soaked. The water receded after about two hours. Bacchus, who was unable to put a cost to her losses, was more worried whether the breach of the seas defense would be sealed before the tide comes up again.
Her neighbour Bisham Harrilall said he had to throw away over 200 two-month-old layers after his pen was flooded. In addition to the loss of poultry, his grocery shop was severely hit with water reaching up to three feet in the shop. The cost of the damages is yet to be calculated.
At Blairmont, Number Two Settlement, only a section was affected, but because of efficient drainage, the water receded after about two hours. Heralall Sukra recalled that he got up about 05:30h and came downstairs, and after a short while, he heard a rumbling noise like wind and water and when he looked up towards the river, he saw a two feet wall of water heading his way. His house is closest to the river, not more than a hundred metres away.
The man said he was so stunned that he stood there until the water entered his yard. He said the water rose to about five feet, flooding the lower section of his house and damaging his household appliances. Sukra was surprised at the flooding, as he did see an advisory on television or heard any warning on radio.
He too was concerned about the portion of the river defense that give way, and hopes the Regional Democratic Council would be able to seal the breach before the tide comes back up.