Latest update February 24th, 2025 9:02 AM
Swollen Demerara River overtops
By Leonard Gildarie
One of the highest spring tides for the year, compounded by a rain-swollen Demerara River, occurred yesterday morning. The result is that several East Bank Demerara villages reported flooding as waters overtopped the seadam.
Although the waters abated by mid-morning, dropping quickly, the damage was evident with even the public road in the Hope/Friendship area coming under water around 06:00 hrs.
Scary sight: Waters from the swollen Demerara River flood several villages and roadways along the East Bank Demerara.
Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn, yesterday, said that he was on the scene early and it is estimated that the spring tide was 3.25 meters above normal, one of the highest in recent times.
At Diamond, in the sea dam area where several homes have been built on the river banks, the muddy dams told the story all too clearly of the flood which caught residents unaware.
Within recent weeks, increasingly, there have been reports of flooding from high tides. The East Bank Demerara has been the hardest hit.
According to Benn, the heavy equipment is finding it difficult to work because of the homes.
While Diamond residents on the sea dam complained yesterday of poor work on a dam, which instead of being raised above the actual sea dam, was instead made level, the flooding is now a clear warning of the dangers posed to lives and property in these areas.
Squatting on reserves, especially in sea defense area, has been a headache with the residents either refusing or taking too long to move.
According to Minister Benn yesterday, it is a matter that cannot be highlighted enough because of the danger.
At Friendship, it was a frightening scene with the Demerara River waters flooding the Didco compound.
There was water on the roadway and it was flowing steadily early in the morning, residents said.
According to Benn, emergency workers placed several sandbags there and engineers were on the scene to assess the situation.
A few weeks ago, Craig residents also suffered several mornings of flooding when the Demerara River overtopped the sea dam there also.
Authorities have said that the spring tides may continue for at least two weeks.
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