PREDISPOSED TO FLOODING
Jun 26, 2017 , http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....isposed-to-flooding/
There were assurances from the Minister of Public Infrastructure a few weeks ago that everything is in place to prevent flooding in the city and outlying areas. But the rains came and flooded several villages along East Coast Demerara.
And once again the people are left to face the consequences. Heavy rainfall during the last few days have caused coastal flooding due to several canals being clogged along the East Coast of Demerara.
As reported, all the pumping stations in the region were in operation, but their pumping capacity could not cope with the deluge. Farm lands and yards in several villages from Turkeyen on the lower East Coast of Demerara to Enmore and as far as Number 28 Village, West Coast Berbice have been inundated.
Due to the large deficit in pumping capacity, several engineers have claimed that additional pumps will not solve the problem. They are of the opinion that the construction of a few deeper and wider canals or trenches to absorb the extra water is a better solution.
Of all the communities along the East Coast that were flooded, Buxton seemed to be the hardest hit. The southern section of the village was under at least two feet of water. It was difficult to distinguish between the road and the trenches in the village, since the former were covered with sheets of water.
Crops and livestock were adversely affected, the extent of which will be known in the coming days. Some streets in the capital were flooded but not as badly as during the last administration. In truth, they actually had accumulated water which drained off when the kokers were opened. This is not unusual since the reservoirs in the city can hold no more than two inches of rain. Those areas were submerged. Heavy rainfall coupled with high tide also flooded Charity and the Pomeroon-Supenaam region.
It seems that the drainage system currently in place continues to be what it is following the filling of some of the major waterways to make roadways and car parks. East Street is one such; Merriman Mall is another.
Losing livestock and farm lands to floods is not easy for the people to bear, especially those who depend on them to put food on the table. But such is the nature of the coast during excessive rainfall and high tides.
Some say that there is no end in sight to floods and there are no solutions. Every time there were floods in the past, the last administration had promised the people that they would develop long term solutions to solve the problem. It did not happen. The people should demand that the government solve the problem once and for all.
However, this may not be possible since the coastal plain in Guyana is several feet below sea level thus making the countryside prone to flooding.
The damage done to several affected villages on the East Coast of Demerara, West Coast Berbice and the Pomeroon-Supenaam areas has caused many to believe that the government was ill-prepared for the 2017 rainy season. But the truth is that there is only so much the government can do. It can install pumps in flood prone areas but these can only drain off the water at a certain rate. Flooding in Guyana is now an act of nature.
The floods have not only caused severe damage to roads and properties, but they have inconvenienced many.
Guyana is predisposed to floods therefore, how quickly the government deals the disaster is a true test of its ability to act.
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