With dozens of homes in Region Eight submerged and washed away by rain-swollen rivers, the Head of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) yesterday described the situation as “grim” and several flights ferried emergency supplies to affected residents.
Four villages in the Potaro-Siparuni region have been severely flooded as a result of excessive rainfall in the south and southwestern parts of the area coupled with the Ireng River overtopping its banks in some areas north of Orinduik.
Two more villages, Itabac and Kanapang, have been added to the list but the severity of the flooding has not yet been determined.
Based on a situation report released yesterday by the Department of Public Information, Kaibarupai Village is inundated at an approximate depth of 10 feet. Two houses have been washed away and the health post, church and cemetery are all under water.
At Sand Hill, the village’s inundation is at an approximate depth of 25 feet; a total of 25 houses were washed away while another 10 remain under water. Similarly, 95% of Waipa is flooded, with the water depth estimated to be between five to 15 feet.
As it relates to Chenapau, Stabroek News was informed that the water levels have started to recede; it was noted that though the entire village was not affected by the flood, 15 houses had been submerged while one was completely swept away.
Minister of State Joseph Harmon yesterday convened an emergency meeting at the Ministry of the Presidency with Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan, Minister within the Ministry of Public Health Dr. Karen Cummings, Director General of the CDC Col. Chabilal Ramsarup, Region 8 Chairman Bonaventure Fredericks and agencies to coordinate the government’s response, which is being led by the CDC.
Stabroek News understands that the CDC, having conducted an aerial reconnaissance of the affected areas, discovered that the situation is severe to the extent that it is impossible to travel via land, thus alternative measures are being put in place to provide immediate relief for those affected.
One such measure is the establishment of a Forward Operation Base at Orinduik, from where supplies and flood kits will be transported by boats provided by the Regional Administration to Kaibarupai, Waipa, and Sand Hill.
Ramsarup told Stabroek News that one aircraft departed Mahdia for Chenapau yesterday to take in urgent supplies, while two additional flights are expected to depart the city today.
He said that reports reaching the CDC stated that there was an immediate need for food, water and sanitation supplies, medical resources and bedding and clothing in the impacted communities.
With this in mind, residents will soon be able to benefit from tents, blankets and sleeping bags. Water purification tablets and a number of plastic jerry cans will be distributed, since flying in bottled water has proven to be a difficult task considering its weight.
Members of the public who wish to make donations to the flood relief efforts are asked to do so to the CDC headquarters on Thomas Road. CDC telephone numbers are (592) 226-1114, (592) 226-8815, (592) 226-1027, (592) 225-5847 or it can be reached via email to info@cdc.gy and opsandtrg.cdcgy@gmail.com.
In addition to the efforts of the CDC, the Amerindian Peoples’ Association (APA) has also been able to dispatch emergency supplies to the flood-affected communities of Waipa, Sand Hill and Kaibarupai on a chartered flight from the city. APA staff also accompanied the supplies to provide support to the relief efforts and gather more information.
Roll in
And as the donations continue to roll in, the organization is in the process of collecting and packing more supplies for two additional flights destined for Orinduik and Chenapau Village, both of which are scheduled to depart the city tomorrow morning.
Persons are asked to contact the organization’s office numbers on (592) 227-0275 or (592) 223-8150, or Michael Mc Garrell at (592) 673-7480, Laura George at (592) 697-3093 and Jean La Rose at (592) 624-2992.
Describing the situation in Region 8 as a very grim one, Ramsrup said the CDC hopes that this initial effort followed by flights on Monday will take care of most of the initial needs.
He noted, however, that this is just the response phase of the operational plan as efforts will be made to properly examine what is happening in the villages so as to allow for the planning of the reconstruction process.
The Ministry of Public Health has also pledged its support towards the region and will be monitoring the health of those currently affected.
Junior Minister of Public Health Dr. Cummings, in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), said regional doctors, nurses, community health workers and environmental health officers are on the ground.
In addition to this, it is the ministry’s intention to send in a team as soon as possible comprising representatives from the ministry’s Epidemiology department, Surveillance department, Environmental health officers, the Vector Control Unit and others. Support has also been given by the Pan-American Health Organization, which will be accompanying the team to assist with an assessment of the situation, Cummings said.
While there has been no death reported, missing persons or serious injuries, the Ministry of Public Health has received reports of some cases of diarrhoea. With this in mind, the Junior Minister contended that the real work will begin when the waters begin to recede in the coming weeks, which would make the residents more susceptible to both water- borne and vector borne diseases.
It is against this backdrop that the Ministry has embarked on preparing a flood kit which would include anti-fungal creams, Panadol syrup, Panadol tablets and Oral Rehydration Salts.
In the long term, Cummings said the ministry has committed itself to work with the CDC to determine whether there is a need for the communities to be relocated.
Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Fredericks said the support from the government is heartening and added that residents should look forward to the relief in the coming days.
