Residents and visitors have said that flooding at Eteringbang in Region Seven is the deepest it has been for a long time following torrential rains.
This is according to a release yesterday from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) which over the weekend conducted an assessment in the Cuyuni River area and provided relief supplies.
Eteringbang and other parts of the country have been in and out of deep flooding in the last few months.
The CDC said that the National Emergency Monitoring System received reports that an average of 80 households, commercial entities and farmlands were inundated at Eteringbang and as such, dispatched a small survey team along with 80 food hampers, 200 cleaning hampers and 10,000 water purification tablets.
The release said that the team travelled by boat from Bartica, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, where they noticed many landings and villages impacted by the rising waters of the Cuyuni River.
“The Wyamo Landing, Two Point Mining Camp, Devil’s Hole Island and Kurushie Landing all had seen water levels rise by at least three (3) feet over the past week. Cumang Landing and Makapa saw floodwaters increase to at least four (4) feet over the past five (5) days. All the settlements and dwellings observed along the Cuyuni River were affected by the current floods”, the release added.
At Eteringbang, and nearby locations, the waters had risen some 10 feet. The team met with regional representatives led by Lorenzo Valenzuela, and members of the Guyana Defence Force and Guyana Police Force who assisted the mission.
“After careful observation and interaction, it was surmised that at least two dozen business establishments and over 170 households were affected by the floods. The Health Centre and Primary School at Eteringbang were impacted as well. Many persons were forced to seek higher ground as the waters rose, which also meant limited access to health care and essential supplies. The Regional Representatives distributed the hampers and long boots to affected residents by way of a list they compiled while going door-to-door along the riverbank. The assessment also revealed that more food and cleaning hampers are needed, along with mosquito nets; more long boots and medical supplies”, the release said.
It added that the General Medical Officer at Eteringbang, Dr. Nigel Anthony, foresees a rise in flood-related health issues when the water subsides.
Residents and visitors in the area said that while the water levels have fluctuated over the past three months, this is the highest it has been in a long time.
The release said that the CDC plans to dispatch more flood relief supplies to Eteringbang and other affected areas along the Cuyuni River during this week.
