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President Ali declares flooding a National Disaster
Kaieteur News– President, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, has officially declared that the current countrywide flooding situation is a National Disaster. The proclamation, according to a post on his Facebook page, was recorded in the Official Gazette on Thursday.
Photos of the legal document was also uploaded on the President’s page. Part of the proclamation reads, “And Whereas of 09:00 hrs. on June 7, 2021, a total of 28,228 households were reportedly impacted by the current flood, with water either entering homes, livestock and domestic animals in distress or farmlands inundated resulting in crop damages;
Now therefore, in pursuance of the powers conferred upon me by Article 99 of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, I do hereby declare a disaster in the Co-operative Republic of Guyana by virtue of Flooding.”
The Gazetted official declaration by President Ali.
The declaration comes just days after Ali, during an outreach, told residents of Berbice, Region Six, that the countrywide flooding situation is considered to be a Level 2 disaster. Ali had related that the classification of the disaster was based on advice he had received from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC).
In the case of a Level 2 disaster, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency’s (CDEMA)
President, Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
Regional Response Mechanism explained that it means, Guyana’s capacity to respond is not overwhelmed but external help is required.
Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips, had reported too on Thursday during the 28th Sitting of the 12th Parliament that the flooding has affected over 29 000 households in over 300 communities across all ten Administrative Regions.
He noted that the flooding might continue until mid-August, based on meteorological predictions that the severe weather conditions are expected to continue until then. In May alone the rainfall was recorded to be the second highest across the country in the last 40 years.
The impact has been devastating and photos, which surfaced on social media platforms from the various Regions, told a story of how severely residents and their livelihoods are affected.
In the Hinterland Regions, such as Kwakwani, Region Ten, areas in Region Seven and Eight, the rivers overflowed their banks causing houses, shops, along with other buildings to be covered with water. Boats powered by outboard engines were seen navigating their way through the streets of Kwakwani.
Photos have surfaced of dead cattle and other livestock in sections across the country. Some areas where the crops and livestock were severely affected are located in Regions Five, Six and Two. There were some instances where farmers were seen moving their cattle on pontoons to higher grounds.
One of the many scenes depicting the current flooding situation in Guyana
Videos were recorded of residents being forced to grab whatever they can and evacuate their homes. Government officials along with the CDC have been doing their best to respond to the affected areas by providing hampers and in some cases shelters for those affected.
The local Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs) of the various Regions have also been hard at work, trying to create ways for the waters to recede from the respective communities.
So far, the Government has been receiving monetary donations from the Private Sector and other sources to aid in flood relief efforts. A bank account was created at the Guyana Bank of Trade and Industry (GBTI) for persons who may wish to donate to the cause. The Prime Minister had stated that over $35M in monetary donations have been received towards the flood relief efforts.
As Guyana braces for the excessive rainfall to continue at least until late July, the Government will approach the National Assembly for $10B in supplementary funding to address the current situation.
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