Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon said a comprehensive review of the sea defences is being conducted in preparation of spring tides forecast for November.
At a post-Cabinet press briefing on Wednesday, Luncheon also disclosed that an impact assessment is underway, the Government Information Agency (GINA) has reported. Overtopping is a permanent feature and communities in regions 2,3,4,5 and 6 were hard hit during the most recent occurrence, last week. Luncheon said that Cabinet is focusing on the severely affected communities during the first phase of the proposed intervention, which involves the acquisition of additional earth moving equipment for the sea defence division in the Work Services Group.
He said too that Cabinet interventions also addressed emergency rehabilitation of dams, particularly those earthen embankment lining the river and creeks and then the use of earth moving equipment to elevate the height of the dams and the levies to prevent future overtopping. The works will be contracted to state and private contractors. Luncheon noted that more spring tides have been forecast for November and as a result the overtopping might recur. He said government intervention is expected to significantly mitigate the impact of the situation.
Meanwhile, Luncheon also said Cabinet is carefully monitoring threats to food security in the areas in Region 9 where floodwaters have not receded.
He noted that $35M has been allocated for the provision of food staples, planting materials and equipment to be distributed to the affected communities with the aim of revitalising livelihoods. Food valued $18M and planting supplies and equipment costing $17M will be transported by road and air shuttle to the designated areas. The initial response had seen a quantity of food items valued $1.5M dispatched to communities, which have been waterlogged for over six weeks.