Engineers scramble as spring tide collapses sluice door at Diamond/Grove

Aug 20, 2020 News

– dozens of homes under water; Diamond Secondary identified as temporary shelter

The flood waters and scene last evening in the Grove ‘Market Street’ area.

The damage to the koker door.

Dozens of home owners were scrambling last evening to stave off flood waters in the Grove/Diamond area as a heavy spring tide collapsed a sluice door.
Several ministers were on the scene of that major breach on the East Bank of Demerara with emergency work scheduled to start when the tide fell last evening. It will continue today, Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, told Kaieteur News.
He was there with several other ministers including Prime Minister, Mark Phillips; Ministers Juan Edghill, Deodat Indar and Kwame McCoy.
Several engineers, including Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Fredrick Flatts, were also there.Residents of ‘Market Street’, Grove, said that they saw water rising rapidly after 6pm, when the spring tide reportedly would have also cause breaches at Mahaicony, on the East Coast of Demerara.
At the sluice door area at the Grove/Diamond area, the fury of the tide twisted the sluice door, telling a stark tale of Mother Nature.
The water of the Demerara River was flowing by the thousands of gallons, swiftly rising the canal that drains the New Diamond/Grove Housing Scheme to alarming levels. There were fears of homes in the new schemes being flooded.

Officials inspect the Diamond School which will be a temporary shelter.

Scores of homes along the Diamond ‘Back Street’ and Grove ‘Market Street’ area were flooded with residents saying they never saw waters rise that fast.
The river dam area is also lined with scores of Venezuelan migrants squatting. They were spared the flooding.
According to the Prime Minister, he rushed away from a budget preparation meeting after hearing the news.
He said that it is unfortunate that the incident would happen so soon with the new government but it is a clear signal that much has to be done.
Minister Mustapha also made it clear that the maintenance would have to remain critical on the infrastructure agenda of the country.
He disclosed that mobilizing of piles had started and work was expected to commence 11pm last night, when the tide went down.
According to Minister Edghill, it will take about two tides to get the doors fixed.
He too expressed worry about the maintenance programme, insisting that it is high on the agenda of the Ministry of Public Works.
Residents whose belongings were in the lower flats, lost almost everything from furniture to freezers.
There were tears in the eyes of some.
One woman said she came back home to settle down recently and lost everything; her bed included.
According to a government statement, emergency workers started early to identify shelter with the Diamond Secondary School picked.
Residents were urged to call the CDC’s hotline for further assistance and to access the shelter (600-7500 and 623-1700).