Heavy overnight rainfall flooded several sections of the city yesterday, while power outages hampered drainage operations.
Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green reported that both the Kitty and Liliendaal pump stations were affected by power outages, while reiterating the need for a back-up to ensure the municipality can carry out drainage works. Green said there was an “unusual retention of water” in every area of Georgetown yesterday following the heavy rainfall, which began on Wednesday evening and continued yesterday morning.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds led a team of officials including Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud and Green on a tour of several sections of Georgetown to assess the effects of the rainfall.
Hinds noted that Regions 2, 3 and 4 have been experiencing heavy rainfall within the past two days, with between 3 and 6 inches of rainfall recorded yesterday. He said that whenever more than one and a half inches of rainfall is recorded within a 24-hour period, water usually accumulates in certain sections of the city. He said citizens need to be alert as the rainy season approaches and persons should take precautions in their actions since dumping of garbage has created problems for the authorities. Hinds also cited the squatting on government reserves as an issue which needs to be addressed as it usually impedes access by the authorities to clear canals.
On a stop at a canal close to the University of Guyana, Hinds noted that work should be done to clear the canal as sections of the university playfield were under water. City Engineer (ag) Lloyd Alleyne, who was part of the team, said that excavation work will be carried out in that area to clear the canal.
As the tour continued in sections of Sophia and the South /North Ruimveldt area, a few residents urged Hinds to visit their communities, which they said have been severely affected by the rainfall. At the Festival City Entrance, the Prime Minister noted that water has been historically flooding those sections of North Ruimveldt as well as the street opposite the Festival City Entrance. Alleyne said that when those housing areas were erected the level of the land had been constructed higher than the streets. The Prime Minister said that solutions will have to be created to solve the problems in that area.
A canal located at the entrance of Joint Services Housing Scheme, Lamaha Springs, was filled with vegetation. Alleyne said that the M&CC had experimented with pesticides in the canal but the result was unsuccessful. He added that measures will be put in place to clear that canal as well as others around the city.
Meanwhile, Persaud assured that the main systems are in place around the country as the rainy season approaches. He said areas along the East Coast of Demerara and certain sections of the coastland have been flooded as a result of the two day rains. He made an appeal to local government bodies to be on the alert as he noted that the rainy season is almost upon us. The Agriculture Minister said that preparations have been made for the rainy season including out of town areas. In response to a question relating to actions taken by the authorities where koker attendants have not been adhering to their duties, the minister said that the regional officials will be taking the necessary actions to ensure the koker attendants carry out their duties.
He also noted that the main conservancies across the country are being monitored, noting that the conservancy waters are being discharged effectively. He said checks at the East Demerara Water Conservancy revealed that the level is at 55 to 56 Georgetown Datum (GD), which is a satisfactory level.
Regarding the two day rainfall, which commenced on Wednesday, Minister Persaud said that the Hydrometeoro-logical Office has informed him that the rain will subside within the next two days. From a production standpoint, Minister Persaud noted that farmers are usually hampered in their various practices. He said the main dams used for transporting produce, farming areas as well as the livestock farms are sometimes affected by flooding.
The team visited the Kitty and Liliendaal stations and Hinds told the media that the pump at the latter station will be in operation within the next two weeks as the authorities prepare for the May/June rains. Hinds said that the Liliendaal pump is presently undergoing repairs at a cost of approximately $60M. He explained that another portable pump will be installed at that location within the next few days, noting that the two pumps at the Kitty Pump station are in working order.
Power outage
However, in a statement Green noted that the sole electrically-driven pump at Liliendaal could not function because of a power outage. As a result, Green said Guyana Power and Light (GPL) should provide another power source to the Liliendaal Pump Station since power supply is critical to the unit in that area. Additionally, he said the hydro-flow pump was removed and taken to another location.
Meanwhile, he explained that there was only one functioning electrically-driven pump at the Kitty station but it was disabled as a result of a power outage. The other pump at the facility-a mechanically-driven operated hydro flo pump-is in operation but can only take off 50 Cubic Units of water.
Green said the Kingston area also a presented a problem after the recent GPL oil spill.
He said because of the spill some technical personnel have advised against the use of the pumps being put into operation for fear that the heavy deposits will damage vital components. “There are conflicting recommendations and once we are satisfied that the technical advice with regard to operating of the pump is valid, it will be activated immediately,” he said. He added that because of the flooding, the pump was activated at around 8:45 am and is currently being monitored to ensure that no damage is done.
Green also appealed to the citizens of Georgetown to avoid the callous disposal of waste in waterways listing plastic, styrofoam and building materials as contributors to flooding in the city.
