CDC Head proposes continuous assessment and adjustment to cope with Climate Change.

Oct 01, 2019 News

Director General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, said in a Radio Interview on Friday, said that continuous assessment and adjustments must be done in order to cope with the effects of global warming.

Director General of the Civil Defence Commission, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig

Last Friday, residents from a number of West Demerara villages were faced with the reality of climate change when their homes were flooded after tides above the normal level caused overtopping of the seawalls.
Also on Saturday, Prospect, Columbia and few other communities of the Mahaicony East Coast Demerara also faced flooding after the sea defence was breached by the high tides.
According to the Director General, assessment and adjustments were made based on past flooding in order to be better prepared and prevent reoccurrence.
He added that some residents have also taken precautionary measures by adjusting their homes to prevent water from entering.
However, when compared to the previous years, water levels were much higher and the measurements of the tides were recorded to be above the normal level.
Craig said that a reassessment of areas below sea level is needed in order to find out if the Sea Defence structure will have to be increased or other defence mechanisms introduced.
Craig proposed that assessments and adjustments must be done continually.
He further explained that climate change is having an impact on the world at large thus resulting in “hotter days”, increased rainfalls and higher tides.
“Take for example, Hurricane Dorian, recorded to be an out of category 5 storm,” Craig stated.
He reiterated that because of global warming weather patterns have become unpredictable.
“The only way we can be prepared to avoid being affected from natural disasters is to continually assess and adjust in order to put mechanisms in place.”
Citizens who live on the Coastline of Guyana were also reminded by the Director General to be conscious of the building codes and to build or adjust their homes according to these building codes.
Residents were also advised to be responsible by cleaning their drainage, disposing of their garbage in a proper manner and making the necessary adjustments to their homes to avoid being affected by from natural disasters.

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