Rains, clogged drains blamed on Number 53/54 flooding

Residents in the 53/54 Villages Saturday woke up to inches of water in their yard and in the lower flat of their homes. The flooding, which resulted from an extended downpour of rain Friday night, had residents clamouring to save their household items and furniture from the water that gushed in. Many took to social media posting pictures showing the result of the heavy rainfall. A couple from Number 54 Village, Reno and Artie Ramdial, told Kaieteur News that while nothing was damaged in their home, it is not the first time they experienced such flooding. Reno stated that the water receded slowly from his kitchen but remained in his yard up until yesterday afternoon and although there was little damage, it is not the first time their yard has been flooded. “This whole one side at Number 54 here (backdam side) flood out but I think it is a drainage problem that cause this because this thing does happen steady. Like dem get small tubing to drain out the water and it not doing the work,” he stated. He added that the tubing was replaced sometime last year with the same small tube and so the flooding persisted when there is heavy rainfall their home has been flooded four times. He stressed that the Number 52/74 Neighbourhood Democratic Council “not doing anything properly, even if you complain to those people there they don’t even come around and do nothing.”

Meanwhile, another resident from Number 54 Village, Vishal Persaud, stated that his entire bottom flat which included a kitchen and living room with furniture and appliances was flooded. He stated that the water has since receded “a little” up to yesterday afternoon. According to Persaud, “the area needs to open up a little because remember for the year nothing na do, and normally NDC does come around and do, but for the year dem na do nothing. So due to this hard rainfall it kind of raise the water.” The residents are calling on the NDC to be proactive in dealing with the issues of the various communities especially in situations of flooding that affects more than one person.

(Kaieteur News)