Latest update April 18th, 2025 8:12 AM
Guyana braces for heavier showers
Flooding on the East Coast Demerara on Sunday.
– over 30 pumps deployed to East Demerara villages
Between thee and four inches of intense showers fell between Friday and Saturday, causing the authorities to deploy almost 30 pumps between Liliendaal and Cane Grove on the East Coast Demerara to deal with flood waters.
And although the rains have been falling, the levels of the conservancies in Demerara and Berbice have not risen to critical levels.
This was disclosed yesterday by head of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, Lionel Wordsworth, who also said that teams are being dispatched to the various areas to assess the damage, if any.
Already, on Sunday, there was flooding at Albion, East Berbice, and in several East Coast Demerara villages.
Speaking from his Regent Road office, Wordsworth said that several areas in the low-lying villages in Region Three, Four, Six and other regions are affected.
At Albion, a backhoe has been dispatched where regional officials and NDIA workers are ensuring that key drainage structures are cleared.
On the West Demerara and in East Essequibo, at Parika, the situation is being monitored closely, the official revealed.
Speaking on the level of the conservancies, the Chief Executive Officer noted that there are no reported problems with the dams and the levels have remained just below the full supply levels.
At Greenfield, East Coast Demerara, siltation problems have seen an excavator being deployed to that area.
Today, several stakeholders, including the Guyana Sugar Corporation, NDIA and the MMA-ADA, among others, are to meet with the Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, to provide updates.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture’s Hydrometeorological Service, the higher amounts of rainfall over the weekend were concentrated on the East Coast of Demerara. Villages such as Beehive, Enterprise, Strathavon, Grove, Friendship, Mon Repos and Ogle are among some of the locations that recorded in excess of four inches of rainfall during a 48-hour period.
NDIA yesterday called on residents and farmers in low lying and vulnerable areas to take the necessary precautions against flooding as the existing drainage infrastructure is only designed to take off 1.5 inches of rainfall.
“Persons living in vulnerable areas are asked to be more vigilant during this time. The Ministry also takes this opportunity in advising all RDCS, NDCs, local authorities, farmers and residents to be on high alert to ensure all pumps are operational, drains and canals are cleared and all drainage infrastructures are intact as there may be incidents of flash flooding in low lying and vulnerable areas across the coast.”
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