Rupununi residents in emergency shelters … as flood woes continue

Jul 06, 2017 News

The Tabatinga situation, Region Nine.

A dozen households have been evacuated to emergency shelters in Region Nine, as flood waters continue to affect citizens there.

According to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), which is coordinating rescue efforts, the region is at present flooded due to rainfall and trans-boundary flooding associated with the increase in water levels of Branco River (Rio Branco) in Brazil’s Roraima State.

This is preventing the Takutu, Ireng, Rupununi and other rivers in Region Nine from draining. This resulted in flooding in the township of Lethem and the wider Region Nine.

“The Regional Democratic Council (RDC) took the decision to utilise its resources to bring about relief to the people. To this end the Emergency Management Committee was established to manage and coordinate the disaster response operations, with technical support from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC).”

Already, two emergency shelters are established at Arapaima Primary and Culvert City Nursery Schools; these shelters have a total 12 households.

“The floods have displaced a number of persons in Lethem and its environs and have affected farms in all five sub-districts in the region. Roads and bridges were also negatively impacted by the floods. This resulted in the GDF and GPF (CPG) using their boats to shuttle people (commuters) between Lethem and St. Ignatius.

The Main Access Trail to Lethem is also affected by flooding; resulting in some areas being cut-off and vehicles becoming stuck.”

The RDC through its Regional Emergency Operations Centre (REOC) is conducting ongoing assessments in the affected areas. The findings of these assessments will be used to plan and conduct relief operations.

The RDC is distributing treated water to affected residents and will be providing other relief from today.

A ministerial team, led by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, was in the area earlier this week, with top officials to assess the situation.

With mountains and rivers nearby that feed from Brazil, the border town of Lethem has always been affected by the rising Takutu River and waters from the mountains.

The Linden/Lethem trail, a critical link to the border area from Georgetown, via Linden, Region 10, has always been vulnerable. Government is moving to have the road/trail paved.

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