Food supplies, relief materials flown into Lethem

Jun 07, 2011 News

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– power restored to some areas, relief stations set up to provide potable water

By Kristen Macklingam
Government has taken a ‘hands-on’ approach in assisting the flood affected residents of Region Nine by having food supplies and health resources flown into the various areas where residents have suffered tremendously after experiencing incessant rainfall for the past few weeks coupled with the overflowing of the Takutu River.
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, yesterday, stated that intervention is one which has been coordinated on the ground by the Prime Minister and aided by a number of agencies including the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) with support from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC).
He said, “It is an all out effort, a combination of efforts by a number of entities.”. He explained that the Ministry of Agriculture’s main focus is on assisting farmers who suffered from this catastrophe as well as its “readily geared concern being food security” in such a crisis.
Minister Persaud emphasized that his team is currently on the ground trying to determine the impact this disaster has had on food production in the area, while saying that President Jagdeo “personally stated that we should come up with a plan to ensure that there is resumption of food production as soon as possible” and victims being provided with adequate relief.

Kaieteur News understands that this Ministry yesterday sent more personnel into Lethem to determine how much crops could be saved and assist the team already there in providing technical advice and implement ideas which could remedy some of the situations that residents are being faced with.
“The Moco Moco rice project area has not been affected and we are making available for emergency plans throughout the region. There is a sufficient supply of rice and beans for them and an aircraft has been organized to lift rice into communities…We are looking at saving…” said Minister Persaud.
Another major focus of the Ministry of Agriculture is the resumption of production since even after the water recedes; there will be a period of time in which the farmers will be required to wait until they can utilise the lands once more, when they return to a state of normalcy.
This newspaper was told that the villages such as Rupurti, Sand Creek and Bytoon have lost all their farm lands due to the flood and certain sections of Lethem and Aishalton have farm lands completely covered with water.
Minister Persaud further stated that the Ministry was “not able to know true extent of losses in the region”. However; after the next 72 hours, a more accurate and clear report can be determined.
He added, “We are treating it as total devastation. Senior officials, technical and human resources are being deployed into the area; people are being moved within the areas. We are bracing ourselves for the worst.
“I have said with unpredictable climatic events, Guyana is one of the countries to face the brunt of climate change…”
Kaieteur News was told that basically dry goods and potable water are being supplied to the Rupununi region as the Ministry of Agriculture continues to pay keen attention to ensuring adequate food is made available. It continues to work very closely with farmers.
A large number of livestock and cattle have already been relocated to higher ground and veterinary doctors have already been deployed into the area to provide treatment where necessary.
Specialist Hydrologist, Garvin Cummings, told this publication that the rainfall in Region Nine “exceeded the expectations by 250 per cent with the last time such intense rainfall occurring in the Southern parts of Guyana being recorded in 1980.”
Cummings stated that from the interpretation of the forecast models of the Hydromet office, there is expected to be a significant reduction in rainfall in Lethem and areas south of Lethem and north of Brazil for the next week.
He explained that the localized showers are as a result of the hurricane season not fully beginning in the Caribbean and as such the band of clouds which usually are accompanied by rainfall have not been able to be “pushed along” the northern area, thus resulting in the Region experiencing heavy downpours.

And according to the Guyana Red Cross Society (GRSC), its volunteers have been in collaboration with Region Nine authorities over the past three weeks, continuously monitoring the flood waters in the region, especially the Lethem area, with assessments being conducted in co-ordination with the regional authorities, community members and other agencies.
On Sunday, the GRCS sent in hygiene kits and jerry cans to assist those families in need. The GRCS is in a position to provide further assistance in the form of mosquito nets, rubber boots, etc, but is currently limited via means of transportation. Due to flooding many of the roads are under water and some bridges have been washed away.
The Civil Defence Commission will be assisting in transporting some of these supplies to the area during the upcoming week.
Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Nine, Ronald Harsawack, explained that though 60 per cent of Lethem continues to be under water, the situation “has stabilized a bit and there has been fair weather for the past two days”.

He stated that water continues to overflow from the Takutu River. An Emergency Management Centre has been established in the area to ensure that people receive meals, accommodation and potable water during this time of distress.
To date, 190 persons have begun to receive assistance and relief at two of the shelters that were set up at the Arapaima Primary School and the Culvert City Nursery School.
It was reported that the area had two pump stations which are responsible for providing water to all of the residents but only half of the population has been able to access clean water since one of the pumps is currently under water and cannot function.
Medical teams are on standby, visiting homes and providing treatment where necessary, bleach, chlorine materials and mosquito nets, while ten boats have been deployed in the flood hit sections to transport staff along the required routes.
More than 5,500 persons have been transported in and out of the various locations and in excess of 2,500 meals have been provided at the shelters already. Residents are to benefit from 400 more jerry cans which will allow them to store a large amount of potable water at a time.
Harsawack told Kaieteur News that the power supply was restored to the Region around 19:30 hrs (07:30pm) Sunday evening, after staff worked to elevate the transformer and generating sets above the water which had flooded it.
But many households cannot receive a power supply since many cables are still under water.
Harsawack stated, “This is the highest flood ever in history and has surpassed the flood the region suffered in 2005 by over three feet”.
The REO assured that there is “good supply of local food for about two weeks, with the food flown in being sent to outstretching areas such as Gunn Strip, which is the remotest part”.
Aishalton and Sand Creek both had planes sent in with supplies and food for the affected residents while a plane is scheduled to land at Karasabai today with relief materials. The Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, along with the Director of the CDC, Chabilall Ramsarup, returned to Georgetown yesterday after spending some days in Region Nine assessing the situation.
Speaking with Minister of Public Works and Communication, Robeson Benn, Kaieteur News was further told that though it did not rain in Lethem itself yesterday, there was heavy rainfall out in the Savannahs towards the Northern direction and West of the Kanuku Mountains.
Minister Benn stated, “In some areas people say the water isn’t rising, yet some say it is, while in my opinion I think that over the last 12 hours the water did rise, even if it was slowly, about two or three inches, however; we have established stabilizing methods to determine if the water is increasing and by how much”.
He explained that power has been restored to almost the entire area excluding St. Ignatius since the power lines were deep underwater by the crossing near the Moco-Moco creek. Officials were up to press time working painstakingly to correct this by elevating the power lines from the water.
Currently, ‘drop in centres’ have been established in Sand Creek, Aishalton, Karasabai and to an extent a certain part of the Lethem area where persons can travel to obtain water and food supplies.
Also, this newspaper was told that the “Lammy’s Guyoil Service Station” has begun distributing water and two pints of kerosene to persons (free of cost) who have not yet received electricity back in their homes.
Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, along with Presidential Advisor, Donald Ramotar, is expected to touch down in the Rupununi as well early today.

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