Several Region Nine communities cut off by flood waters
Several Region Nine communities are reportedly cut off after heavy rains and rising flood waters over the last two days. At least two communities Aishalton and Karasabai are said to be inaccessible.
At Lethem and the bordering community of Tabatinga, several homes were under water. Up to press time there were no reports of loss of life, serious injuries or anyone facing life-threatening situations. At least three houses were confirmed to have been flooded and the residents evacuated. Two shelters were set up last evening at the Arapaima Primary School building and another location to accommodate residents who needed to be evacuated. In total, 26 persons were threatened by the flooding. A CDC Team will depart Ogle this morning and will be on a reconnaissance mission. The team will also take in sanitation relief supplies. A temporary shelter is being set up at the Amerindian Hostel. Regional officials completed their emergency and were late last evening mobilizing resources to provide relief and shelter. At least one family from Lethem had to be evacuated with the help of police, Member of Parliament (MP) for the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Alister Charlie, disclosed last evening.
The official, who lives in the Lethem area, said that while it did not rain in Lethem, a border town to Brazil, there are reports of significant rainfall in the deep south and South Pakaraimas areas. At Lethem, the Takutu River, which divides Guyana and Brazil, has begun overtopping the banks affecting a number of persons. Several places including the St. Ignatius Access Bridge were under water with the Lethem market now an island. “Persistent rain in Region Nine has now caused a total shut off of goods and services to villages in Deep South Rupununi and South Pakaraimas. We had to shuttle persons to Nappi.” The Tabatinga Creek has also overtopped its banks affecting several families. “Yes, we are not as high as the 2011 floods in Region Nine. But families are gearing up for higher waters. The water is at my mother’s back door right now,” Charlie said. “We have received news that the rains fell all night at Aishalton.”
(Kaieteurnews.com)