Floods Devastate E.C. Farms

Conservancy Breaches Contribute

THOUSANDS of dollars in food crops have been lost along the East Demerara Coast belt as a result of heavy flooding which hit the area just before Christmas.

The flood, which lasted for about one week, occurred in several villages between Mahaica and Industry, causing hundreds of food farms to be wiped out.

While it has now receded, farmers will not be able to re-plant for several weeks.

The impact of the ravaged farms on the consumer population has already been felt as a scarcity of green vegetables has hit the Region.

Farmers say that while above normal rainfall, which started early December, has contributed to the flooding, breaches in the East Demerara Water Conservancy were the main factors responsible.

Officials of the Conservancy Board say they are not aware of any serious breaches. They said that maintenance works are being carried out and that there are certain areas of the dam which are being strengthened. However, eyewitness reports claim that there were breaches in several areas, including Better Hope, Annandale, Hope and Cane Grove.

Some areas were hit harder than others. For example, at Cane Grove, residents claimed that after the dam broke, the water inundated the village within minutes. In some areas, the depth of the water reached in excess of four feet.

At Enterprise in both farms and residential areas, the flooding waters were over three feet in depth.

Lower on the East Coast, in areas like Annandale, La Bonne Intention, Success, Chateau Margot and Better Hope, the flood waters, although not so deep, remained for several days, destroying mature food crops.

The situation became compounded when at least two water pumps were affected by power shortages.

As the rising waters also threatened Guysuco’s canfields, efforts were made to get all the pumps functioning.

It is understood that sand and earth bags were used to patch the breaches and piles are being used to reinforce the Conservancy in a few areas.

The Conservancy Dam is always a key factor during the heavy rains. Constant rains can cause erosion.

It has been suggested by some farmers that there was not enough vigilance along the dam or the defects would have been detected early.

Meanwhile as hundreds of small farmers mainly those who plant “cash crops,” desperately try to retrieve their devastated lands the Meteorological Department says that there are no signs yet that the rainy season is about to end. (S.N.)