Severe flooding has displaced more than 1,400 residents across Region 10 and hobbled gold production in Region 7, as communities and miners battle what officials describe as weeks of unrelenting rainfall.
In Kwakwani, (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice) water levels have risen as high as the second floor of two-storey homes, forcing residents to flee after the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) issued warnings over oncoming weather fronts.
Region 10 Regional Vice Chairman Mark Goring yesterday told Kiskadee Watch that an impact rapid assessment was carried out on Friday alongside ongoing evacuations. Among the worst-hit areas are Kwakwani Waterfront, Lamp Island, Ladersville and Hururu.
An estimated 1,000 people have been evacuated from Kwakwani, with a further 400 displaced from Ladersville and surrounding sub-regions, Goring said. Rockstone Village is also facing severe flooding.
Based on his observations during the visit, Goring said dredging and deepening of waterways will be critical to bringing relief to affected residents.
“The Berbice River will need dredging from Lamp Island going all the way to a three-mile stretch to take the water levels down,” he said.
He noted that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority has committed to deploying an amphibious machine for waterway cleaning to assist in the effort.
Coomacka submerged under 4ft of water: CDC yet to visit
Goring said Coomacka remains flooded with roughly four feet of water. While many residents were displaced, others managed to evacuate in time. He noted that the CDC had not yet visited the area as of his last update.
The area was previously dredged by a bauxite mining company that has since ceased operations. Since the company’s closure, Coomacka has seen a build-up of silt, sand and other sediment from the surrounding creek, worsening the flooding.
Goring said he had not received many complaints from affected miners but expressed concern for loggers, who have been hit hard by the floods and are struggling to traverse the increasingly impassable Ituni Road.
In response to the hardship, Goring said he will be carrying out relief distributions to assist affected residents.
Region 7 miners report weeks of losses amid relentless rain
In Region 7 (Cuyuni/Mazaruni), miners say more than three weeks to a month of unfavourable weather has severely disrupted gold production.
Elvis (only name given), a miner and shop owner in Puruni, told Kiskadee Watch he has suffered over $100,000 in fuel losses after rainwater contaminated his fuel supply.
“The area is still flooded, I can’t get to work, three weeks to a month now,” he said.
Elvis added that more than three-quarters of miners at the Puruni mining camp have been forced to suspend operations. “We are hopeful for a month-end return. No proper Father’s Day for us.”
David Daniels, head of the Small Miners’ Association, said he raised the region’s challenges directly with President Irfaan Ali, including a request for additional mining lands.
“We engaged the president to receive more lands and he committed to that,” Daniels said.
Beyond the rains, Daniels pointed to the poor state of regional roads, currently surfaced mostly with loam, as a pressing concern. “Some areas will have to be resurfaced with laterite; some areas are just loam.”
In a statement, the CDC said it remains committed to working closely with local authorities in Region 10 to address the flooding as quickly as possible.
On Friday, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) said that the ongoing heavy rains have flooded several work areas and damaged some access roads in the mining districts making it difficult for miners to get to work grounds and critical areas. In a statement, the Association said that the rains have also forced several operators to close camp as the areas are unworkable because of flooding.
“An example of the severity of the current conditions is evident along the Puruni River, which has overtopped its banks to such an extent that the natural river channel is no longer distinguishable from the surrounding lands. As a result of the excessive width and the strong, fast-flowing current, pontoon crossings in the area have been completely suspended, further restricting access and disrupting mining operations”, the GGDMA said.
According to Avalon Jagnandan, the Managing Director of the Guyana Gold & Diamond Miners Association, the situation is “very serious” in the mining districts and is severely affecting miners and their production at a time when the price of gold is at an all-time high. The statement said that the association is calling on the relevant ministries and authorities to help rapidly repair the damaged road infrastructure that will allow miners to access mining areas more easily.
Discussion