Villages in Region One (Barima-Waini) are the latest to face the spate of flooding due to high tides and rainfall; businesses and homes have been completely ambushed by excessive inundation.
Floodwaters that began to rise on Wednesday and continued throughout Thursday have affected Barabina, Kumaka and Hosororo.
This was communicated by Mayor of the township of Mabaruma, Chris Phang, during an interview with Guyana Times after he had visited some of the inundated areas on Thursday morning. Mayor Phang has noted that livestock and cash crop farmers have been devastated by the losses to their livelihoods.
“Three constituencies were affected, mainly Constituencies Four, Five and Six. I…have visited them this morning, and I saw for myself where houses are actually under water. There are persons with cash crops…their gardens…have been affected as well. This is the same (situation) for livestock (farmers).”
The Mayor indicated that the unforeseen flooding has affected businesses in the region’s economic hub, Kumaka. He said other drainage issues have exacerbated the conditions in Barabina, and Horsororo has been severely affected. It is estimated that some 20 business establishments have suffered losses, with approximately 40 households being similarly affected in the Horsororo stretch.
Phang detailed, “Barabina was suffering from a water issue, where the road would (be) blocked, and it because worse with the high tide and rain. The water is actually about four feet in height.
“Constituency Five is the main shopping area within the town Kumaka, and business persons… have suffered also, because it actually caught everybody off-guard. Horsorro suffered the worst,” he said.
Officials on site are monitoring the conditions with visits to communities.
Phang explained that there is not enough equipment to drain the land immediately, but the water is receding at a slow pace.
“It was receding, but not at a fast rate, because we don’t have the necessary equipment, for example the pump and excavator, to help excavate the trenches. So I’m hoping that the residents would get some relief…I would have forwarded that information to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development,” he said.
