Another section of Mosquito Hall seawall undermined

Apr 02, 2014 News

Major reconstruction works scheduled – Public Works

The seawall at Mosquito Hall, Mahaica, on the East Coast of Demerara, which has had its fair share of structural problems, from the walls crumbling, to its base caving in and which has seen significant amount of patching, construction and repair works by government, is once again starting to cave in.

The undermined section of the seawall.

Upon visiting the scene, Kaieteur News was greeted by villagers who were eager to pinpoint the area that was breached. All of the residents expressed fear that the aging seawall will eventually crumble and topple over leaving them at the mercy of the ocean, particularly during high tide.
Most of the residents are of the opinion that the entire length of the seawall needs to be solidified with boulders and raised by a couple of feet since they believe that the water from the high and spring tides will continue to easily overtop the apex of the seawall, leaving them (residents) in a lot of discomfort.
According to a male resident living in proximity to the seawall, the waves overtop the wall “anything like seven feet in the air and rolling going over the wall… once they use boulders and raise this dam up the topping over will stop,” he related.
Kaieteur News was told that a re-migrant who constructed a two-storey house several feet away from the seawall has since moved. According to residents, he was living in fear of what the “water can do” when it overtopped the wall.
Another resident said that officials within the Ministry of Public Works promised that they would come and do the wall. He opined that the wall will soon give away. “It’s just a matter of time…God has his hand over this seawall, the day the Father move his hand over the seawall is gone it gone,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Public Works Ministry issued a release pronouncing on the spring tide and overtopping of susceptible areas.
“During this spring tide period, the highest tide was experienced on March 31, 2014 at a height of 3.22 metres; however, the Ministry notes that gusty winds coincided with the high tides along the coast causing an elevation in wave heights and consequential overtopping in some areas.”
The Ministry said it will continue to monitor all vulnerable areas and “undertake preventative maintenance and emergency repairs on critical sea and river defences where necessary.”
The release further stated that “the Sea and River Defence Force Account Unit has mobilised to undertake emergency repairs on the river defences at Mosquito Hall, East Coast Demerara, Region No.4 and Hyde Park, East Bank Essequibo, Region No.3. At Mosquito Hall, structural repair works will be carried out to remedy cavities and structural undermining of sections of the existing wave wall which have developed during this spring tide period.”
Additionally, “the Ministry will be executing upgrading works to the earthen embankment and adjacent façade drains at this location. It should be noted that major reconstruction works have been scheduled for Mosquito Hall/Lancaster under the 2014 Sea Defences Capital Programme. A tender was publicly advertised for works at Mosquito Hall and was opened on February, 2014. The Ministry is currently awaiting award of the Contract,” the release said.
It was further stated that at Hyde Park, “a 15 foot breach has developed in the river defences due to erosion of the existing earthen embankment. This has resulted in localised flooding of the area due to water intrusion at high tides. The Sea and River Defence Force Account Unit is currently working at this location to reinstate the breached section of embankment. It should also be noted that reconstruction works have been programmed for this location under the Caribbean Development Bank funded 3rd Sea Defences Project.”
The Public Works Ministry, via the release, said that all vulnerable areas along the Coast will be monitored and “preventative maintenance measures carried out as required.” The Ministry said it will continue to advise the general public on critical developments with regard to the implementation of sea and river defence works in coastal and riverain communities.