Floodwaters have been receding in a number of areas along the East Coast Demerara but many residents are complaining about the inches of water still in their homes.
Where to go? This school girl stood on a high spot in a flooded Beehive street yesterday contemplating where to walk next.
Inches of water still covered many yards in Greenfield when this newspaper visited the area shortly after 3 pm yesterday. Main drainage trenches, residents explained, have been cleaned by drainage authorities but still the water refuses to move.
Beehive and Ann’s Grove, which are both located in the vicinity of Greenfield, were still under water as well. Residents from these areas stated that they were “sick” of the situation and “tired of complaining”.
Sharmilla Baksh and her husband Tekchand, residents of Third Street Beehive, explained that the water level has been fluctuating in the area. However, according to them heavy rainfall Tuesday night has caused the water level to “shoot up” once again.
Guiding her feet through the inches of brown water in her yard, Baksh led Stabroek News to her lower flat kitchen. The floor of the kitchen has been transformed into slushy mud as a result of the water resting on the area sporadically for almost a month.
“Meh can’t walk deh cause meh foot going to sink in that mud,” Baksh explained. “Meh ah cook on meh step landing fuh couple weeks now.”
Meanwhile, Tekchand who is a small scale fisherman, explained that most of the livestock which he reared to make a “little extra cash” have perished. The man’s expression indicated that while the over 30 animals was a small number they meant a lot to him and his family.
Saywack Ramjewan stands in the kitchen which still has about an inch of water. Household appliances had to be elevated in an effort to prevent them from being damaged by the water.
The couple’s teenage daughter displayed her rash-infected feet and lower leg to this newspaper. Baksh explained that her child’s skin will be heavily scarred when it finally heals. Although, Red Cross groups had visited the area about two weeks ago, the woman said, they were still in need of medical attention.
Many other residents are battling similar circumstances. The lower flat kitchen of the Ramjewan family has also been damaged by the inches of floodwaters. According to the family, floodwater has been in the Beehive area for almost a month.
The Greenfield koker is responsible for draining the Greenfield/Beehive area, residents informed. Although the koker is in “close to perfect condition”, they said, the floodwaters still refuse to go.
“Dem a desilt that koker steady. It ah work good good…not one problem it nah got…dem had one pump that dem ah use to pump but still we flood out. Mus’ be too much rain we getting fuh real,” a Greefield resident stated.
Meanwhile, a section of the Main Street in Ann’s Grove and most of the community’s backland area had inches of water up to late yesterday afternoon.
This is the state the flood has left Sharmilla Baksh’s kitchen in.
Although, most of the water has subsided in these areas a rank scent still emanates from what remains. However, many residents admitted that they have become so used to the floodwater that they no longer notice the smell.
Dear Editor;
Our Guyana can now become a “flooded free country”,
with such “hydrological funnel-water-irrigation systems”.
It is with much conviction of persuasion, as in relation to respective letters published in the G.C of 16. 09. 2008, captioned “eliminate breaches by use of modern technologies” and K.N of 15. 09. 2008, captioned “I have great plan to tackle flooding in Guyana”.
I crave your concern in our attempt for consolidating hopes and comforts to our Guyanese nation. By means of justifying this global crisis and menace of heavy and torrential rain falls which brings to us much Distresses, Discomfort, Destructions Dangers to our livelihood both socially and economically or even Death to our very lives.
Guyana, can possibly be a “flooded free nation”, which according to the coastal GD and riverain GPS location,
assorted with evidences to the inland-dept of 25 miles South of Georgetown and with its’ façade on the coastal lines, from Essequibo coast to Corriverton-Berbice, are flat terrain of surface land which accommodate and accumulate as the basin of back-land waters.
With an imaginary high spring tide water level elevation line, (paal) from Georgetown-Date, to 25-miles South (Soesdijk, E. B. D. ) there is a hydrographical basin dept, of about 4-metres, meaning, that we have about 2.50-metres of excess waters flowing and over topping in residential and farming areas.
Thus we can minimise this overtopping water dept to 1.5-metres in the conservancies and 1-metre in all drainage trenches and canals.
In so doing, for irrigating water on such flat surface, (as water has its own level of elevation), the possibilities are to balance the water level drainage system, by means of constructing hydrological-funnel-water-irrigation-systems, in and around the coastal and all reverain areas.
By embarking on such a project, which is the one and only way and mean in combating and entailing the balancing of water level elevation, which can free Guyana flat-surface land from overflowing and overtopping into residential and farming areas.
Such a project, will avoid the uses of electrical or fuel propelled water pumps, in the event of irrigating high-level flooded waters into the sea or rivers, or the drainage sluice-kokers, would not be much dependent on, or would not be undertaking pressure to let-loose/let go, of the flowing flooded water out into the sea or river.
It is a very, very simple hydrological-engineering mechanism with modern technology, (To which I have already executed such a project personally, well oriented with much experiences) that have already been innovated in neighbouring Suriname and in other countries here in Europe.
This project, is definitely environmental friendly, it is very low costing and fast to install, it will be a life long investment and cost less to maintenance, un-manned operational and can be easily and moderately installed anywhere throughout the country within weeks.
This alternative water irrigation project, would be consolidating the flows of 16-hours per day (a 24-hours day period) compared with the present drainage sluices/kokers which can only subdue 8-hours per day.
In addition, once this project has been favourable considered by our Guyanese government, there will be no need to embark on such a massively investment of G$. 3-B for the construction of the proposed 6-miles drainage canal from the East Coast Demerara Conservancy to the Atlantic ocean and distressed residents in flooded disturbed areas, need not to relocate to higher grounds or to live in fear caused by flooding.
Alternatively, we have to impose on such a water-irrigation system and stop vacillating and running around from such daily and constant problems and fears. “We can beat back the sea, YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN !!!”
I am so honoured and delighted for attaching this pictographic sketch for your perusal and to which I humbly ask your kindness to please publish the sketch for the attention of concern and relevant authorities in Guyana.
In the light of such a plight and predicament to which my/our Guyanese nation is currently facing and suffering, as in relation to constant flood crisis in my/our beloved country, I am willing to endeavour, to give my utmost and to utilise my hydrological-engineering skills and knowledge, to my one dear and beloved native Guyana.
HYDROLOGICAL–BALANCING–OF “WATER—FUNNEL— IRRIGATION”
The sensitive part “BRAIN” of this water irrigation system, will be the FUNNEL.
It can be 3-metres square (at least) on the top perimeter and 2-metres deep.
With a bottom diameters of 1. 80-metres inward, which will cover and strapped
onto the concrete tubes outlets.
The rubber funnel, will be manufactured in Pollen, Germany or here in the Netherlands.
It must be manufactured in one piece (no joining) with 3-cm. thick of flexible rubber sheets,
coated and lined with silk textile in the inside, between the rubber sheets.
( This said mechanism, is currently and firmly holding the foundation of our Dutch dikes and other water infrastructures at the bottom of the North sea bed)
The funnel will be a floating and sinking mechanism. As the high tide of water level from the sea/river rises, the rubber funnel tubing would be released to float, giving the rising sea/river water inside of the tube accommodation and to avoid the sea/river water to flow out into the drainage trenches, conservancies or canals.
As the sea/river water recedes to the top level of the bottom outlet of the funnel, the 4 anchors of 15-kilos each, would be released, giving the internal high/flooded water access to feasible flow out into and from the funnel.
Engineering drawing has been submitted here
SurMot, if you want this to appear in SN letters column in the hardcopy newspapers on the streets, send to stabroeknews@stabroeknews.com. Doesn’t take much effort, just a few click and you’ll have a wider audience than these bloggers and blahggers.
& when all is said & done you will go to the polls & look for the cup to put your X. You all need to go to Freedom House & seek residence until the situation is resolved.
You killing mi, stop this thing you doing, u going make mi colaps, mi hart aint good.
You know what troubling about this article, is the last paragraph, how some Guyanese are immune to suffering. “Become so used to the floodwater that they no longer notice the smell”
Fulano, who should they vote for? These poor people can’t depend on either one of the parties.
Well some of you can vote for the palm tree , since the cup ain’t good enough to stop the flood . Guyana will be flood free and crime will be history , well in your dreams of course !
Some of us will be so surprise of what the palm tree might do that we might be too ashamed to continue blogging on this site.
ane you are just right there is no one to look after any one but them self no one care about the poor.
two nights ago i was watching on pbs. “THE OLD MAN AND THE STORM” about new orleans after the hurricane. i encourage all you critizers to watch it if you get a chance. HALF A MILLION OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW ORLEANS HAVE NOT RETURNED BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE FLOOD RELIEF PROMISED THEM SINCE 2005 BY THE MIGHTY US GOVT BESAUSE OF FRAUD, BEAUREACRATIC BUNGLING,ETC. some parts of new orleans are virtually uninhabitable.