Canal No. 1 in deep...
From centre pages
is what we’re working on at the level of the NDIA, the Region, the NDC and the Civil Defence Commission,” he said.
The National Emergency Monitoring system operating under the umbrella of the CDC, Harmon said is working 24 hours a day and has been filtering reports to them on affected areas.
He added that they would be visiting other affected areas and offering similar assistance. However, he noted that they have been monitoring and will continue to monitor areas that are accustomed to flooding on the coastal belt.
He added that the government, over the past year, has spent a “tremendous amount of money on public infrastructure such as drainage and they are reaping the benefits of it now.
“In particular Georgetown, with all of this rain in years gone by, the place would have been flooded, the people would have been losing their products, now it is drained better, we have spent some money on the East Coast and it is not as affected as it used to be,” Harmon asserted.
After a week of continuous rainfall, some residents who are farmers have recorded losses of crops and residents are forced to stay indoors as their yards are swamped.
Residents yesterday told Stabroek News that this is the worst flood they have experienced since the 2005 flooding.
As Stabroek News walked through the community yesterday some residents were observed using sandbags to keep the water out from their dwellings while others had their protective gear with them as they moved about. The water level is about shin high and based on residents’ recounting it seems to be slowly rising. Some residents were also seen in boats and on bridges using their farming tools to help in clearing the canal.
Rajpaul Haimraj, a pineapple farmer told Stabroek News while he has not suffered any losses at his home his farm in the backdam is covered with floodwater. He noted that he would not be able to reap that crop of pineapple which took 18 months to produce. He explained that this is the first time inches of water has passed his bridge and approached the bottom flat of his home. He believes more needs to be done to assist residents with the drainage.
Over at the home of Geeranie Parbhudyal, she said her family members have to take turns to help “bail out the water. If we don’t do it the kitchen would flood.” She explained that if the water reaches into her kitchen her appliances would be damaged. According to the woman although they placed sandbags around her home the water is still seeping in and she has to keep mopping the area.
It was reported by the Department of Public Information (DPI) that there is no outbreak of waterborne diseases but the Ministry of Public Health has been monitoring the situation in the region.
“A team from the Ministry of Public Health visited the Manram Memorial Health Centre, in Canal Number One, to ensure it is equipped with the necessary drugs in the case of a possible outbreak and to prevent flood-related illnesses,” DPI said in its report.