By Cathy Richards
Hours of torrential rains in Linden yesterday have left families and businesses at both Mackenzie and Wismar in discomfort and with extensive damage. Wismar Housing scheme also experienced major erosion during the downpour.
The rain, which started shortly after 2 pm, continued way into the evening hours, causing severe flooding. Hardest hit was Silver City at Wismar. To access the area last evening one had to be equipped with a pair of long boots. Water was as high as five inches on the roadways and as much as ten inches in most yards and homes.
Residents said that they have never experienced such an extensive flooding in the area. Some opined that the cause is linked to the washing of sand from the hills while others blamed the poor drainage works being done by drainage and irrigation workers.
“We are in a valley and for years upon years I have been telling them that they need to arrest the erosion of sand that is washing from the hills and coming down and clogging the drains,” Samuel Amos, an affected resident said. “Every time this place flood, they just keep coming and looking and making promises and no one is doing anything to once and for all arrest the situation.”
When Stabroek News arrived on the scene Amos and his family were in the process of bailing water from the bottom flat of his building which houses a furniture store and a hairdressing salon. He said the water was as high as six inches in his bottom flat.
“When we realized what was about to happen we quickly went downstairs and elevated everything but what I am contemplating right now is that I would have to get some money now and raise the floor about nine inches because since this happening for the first time it means that it will reoccur whenever there is another heavy rainfall,” he said.
According to the frustrated man, the rain has been continuously washing the sand from the hillside and causing the drains to be clogged. He said that he had previously recommended that the sides of the hills be strapped to arrest the erosion.
The story of Vanessa Cummings, who is 37 weeks pregnant, was even worse. Her entire bottom flat apartment was under water. She stood in inches of water on the road because she couldn’t enter her yard. “This is overbearing now all my stuff under water,” she lamented. “I don’t know what to do. It is so flooded I can’t even get into de house to try and save anything… It was only dis morning I pack my bag because I am getting pains and I expect to go into labour soon. Now what am I to do? All the baby clothes and everything soak up, my chairs, my washing machine everything underwater.”
Her children and mother were at the time seeking refuge with the landlord who occupies the upper flat of the building. Like Amos, she blamed the washing of the hills and the clogging of the drains.
Next door the Bynoes’ plight was evident. There was approximately 10 inches of water in their house. “Since the 70s this has never ever happened,” Phillip Bynoe said. “The problem has to do with this trench that they do not clear. They need to dig that trench and once that is done properly no amount of rain could cause this place to flood like this ever again. People need to do what they are being paid for. I don’t have a problem with who get money to do what. Just do the job you are being paid to do.”
At Wismar Housing Scheme, several bordering areas of the hill had experienced massive erosion. Water which ran off the road and through newly constructed drains in the area resulted in the serious breaking away of some parts of the hill.
At one point the fence of a range apartment was barely left standing after the heavy waters caused the area to break away. Several passageways between the two areas were also extensively eroded and more than three houses were under threat.
Across at Mackenzie, water as high as four inches had covered the roads stretching from Arvida Road, along Republic Avenue and Greenheart Street. Ingress and egress to several business places were impossible.
Businessman Norvel Fredricks described the situation as terrible. Businesses including Compare Breads retail outlet at the corner of Pine Street and Republic Avenue, and Hercules bar along Coop Crescent were among the hardest hit because the water had flooded those buildings.
Poor maintenance in the area was cited as the root cause of the flooding. Persons said that the local authorities have been failing to maintain the main kokers which provide a free flow of the water into the nearby Demerara River.
The central areas at Mackenzie frequently flood whenever there is at least one hour of heavy rainfall.
