Charity residents hit by severe flooding … following one night of heavy downpour.

Aug 15, 2019 News

After more than six hours of continuous rainfall Tuesday night, the community of Charity suffered what is being described as one of its worst flooding in history.

“The flooded Xenon Hotel and Bar.”

Based on information sourced by this publication, residents awoke to flood waters as deep as fifteen inches yesterday morning. Kaieteur News was on the scene yesterday and saw that quite a number of businesses and stalls along the Charity Public road were inundated.
The Xenon Hotel and Bar, which is a popular night spot within the commercial community, was submerged in as much as six inches of water. The Management of the hotel indicated told this publication that apart from the losses due to the flooding, the business was closed for the entire day.
The Charity Squatting area appears to have been affected the worst. When this publication visited the Charity Squatting area yesterday, most of the homes were in knee deep water.
This publication understands that over the years, Charity is prone to flooding. It is believed that one of the major contributing factors is the many clogged trenches within the community’s drainage network. Earlier this year, a multi-million mini-Koker was constructed by the Regional Administration within the community, with the aim of reducing flooding.
The Regional Administration of Region Two underlined the fact that the clogged drains within the marketing area are a direct link to the numerous flooding. Based on reports, there are a number of stalls that have been constructed over the main drainage trench for a number of years.
Over the past years the drainage trench below these stalls has not been desilted.
While persons are recommending that pumps be installed along the bank of the Pomeroon River, the regional officials made it clear that the irrigation trenches must first be desilted before the water can be properly drained. In the meantime, the Neighborhood Democratic Council that presides over Charity, must ensure that the trenches below the stalls are desilted and cleaned.