A large number of residents in the city and on the East Coast were affected by yesterday’s heavy rain which left deep flooding in its aftermath.
Among those affected in central Georgetown were Ken, the owner of Ken’s Business Enterprise located on King Street.
During an interview with Stabroek News, the man stated that he was unable to open his business as he was taken up with bailing out the water that accumulated to 6 inches.
Ken said with the continuous rainfall during Tuesday night, he had already anticipated the flood. At about 8:30 am yesterday, the man said he visited his store and began bailing out the water. He added that while he knew he had losses, he was unable to give a proper account at the time of this interview. Nevertheless, he is hopeful, and though frustrated to some extent, he said he has to go on.
Several store owners at Sharon’s Mall on King Street were observed bailing water out of their stores and placing sandbags in the hope of preventing further inundation. Owners and staff were gathered at their stores, working together to rectify the issue.
During a drive around the city, this newspaper observed several areas including Alberttown, Cummings Street, Albert Street, North Road Bourda, Eping Avenue, Newtown, Kitty and Subryanville, under floodwater.
Meanwhile, in the vicinity of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara, Sham Mohabir told this newspaper that the flooding had affected him tremendously.
The man said he was forced to take 600 chicks and ducklings, and close to 300 meat birds to a neighbour, since the lower flat of his house was still under water up to yesterday at about 1 pm.
Mohabir disclosed that the flooding had forced him to sell most of his goats due to the situation he was in. The frustrated resident who has been under water since Monday, complained that the water from a neighbour’s yard was entering his.
He alleged that the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) does not clean the drains regularly and believes that if that was done, the water would have already receded.
Mohabir further disclosed that the NDC had their equipment parked and stated that the only known time the drains were cleaned, was due to his neighbour using his influence. “All the drains them in this whole village, full up,” Mohabir complained.
He also blamed the neighbours situated behind him, whom he said had covered some of the drains and used the reserve to extend their house lots. He opined that this contributes to the problem in some way.
He later explained that others in the community were suffering the same fate due to the flooding.
Samattie Indar, another resident of Good Hope also affected by the flood, stated that the water was slowly receding since Monday’s flooding.
She said due to the amount of water still in the yard, she was unable to open her business which is located at the front of her yard.
Yasin Hannif, also a resident of Good Hope, was seen bailing water out from a veranda upstairs while the bottom flat was still flooded.
The man who resides at the bottom flat of the home, disclosed that he had moved most of his belongings to the upstairs of his home due to the flooding.
His wife, who asked to remain anonymous, said she saw a snake earlier yesterday morning in the vicinity of the washroom.
She added that it is a bit disheartening to know that the flooding is happening with the Christmas season approaching but explained that she intends to raise the foundation after the holidays in the hope of remedying the problem. She noted that since moving into her home in 1995, the foundation is now sinking. Nevertheless, Hanniff said they will endure until the rain is over.
Meanwhile, along the East Coast, a Success resident who asked not to be named, said the water had flooded into her home, which she tried to prevent by using sand bags.
It was noted that while a few yards remain flooded in some sections of Mon Repos, water had receded from several of the homes affected by the flooding.
Stabroek News had visited the affected location at about 12 noon and spoken with the owner of a tattoo parlour, who shared that on Monday his shop was filled with 4 inches of water. The man said the water had caused damage to his carpets and rugs, and added he too had placed sand bags to prevent a recurrence.
However, Anand, another resident in the area, stated that while most of the water had receded, the rainfall from yesterday still left some areas under water.
The water stains on the wall of the man’s home, showed evidence of at least 12 inches of water in the yard.
Anand explained that they had to place a refrigerator and other appliances on higher ground to prevent them from being damaged.
Some of the residents raised the question of flood relief.
