Water levels in Kwakwani, Region Ten, continue to rise, leaving several communities inundated and threatening homes, businesses and public infrastructure.
The flooding, which began over the weekend, has severely affected communities including Waterfront, Lamp Island, Jeep Landing, Lauder’s Ville and the Mackenzie Market area in Linden. Several homes and businesses remain under water and residents say the floodwaters continue to rise.
APNU Councillor Dominique Blair told Kiskadee Watch that a number of residents have been forced to evacuate and an assessment is still being conducted to determine the number of families affected.
“The water levels are still rising,” Blair said, noting that access to potable water has emerged as the most pressing issue facing residents.
He said a team has been mobilized to visit the affected communities to conduct assessments and distribute hampers and water to residents.
Among the worst-hit areas is Lamp Island. Blair said the Region Ten Disaster Response Management and Preparedness Team, under the guidance of the Regional Executive Officer, distributed 25 hampers to affected residents, although many families remain in need of assistance.
Residents in several communities have been advised to move to higher ground, with children and the elderly considered particularly vulnerable as conditions worsen. In some areas, boats are being used to transport residents.
Temporary shelter arrangements have also been put in place. According to Blair, two homes at Staff Hills have been made available by the Regional Executive Officer, while three families from Waterfront Constituency No. 1 and Lamp Island are being housed in shelters. Another five families, including three from Waterfront and two from Lamp Island, have been relocated to stay with relatives.
Blair called on the government and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) to visit the region and provide adequate relief supplies for affected residents.
Meanwhile, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Councillor Mark Goring reported on Monday that water levels had risen by another foot and described the situation as critical. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, he said residents of Lauder’s Village had also been affected and urged persons to move to elevated areas and avoid wading through floodwaters because of potential health risks.
Goring also called on the CDC and regional authorities to mobilise a response team to assess the situation and provide relief.
Three weeks ago, Member of Parliament Sherod Duncan visited Lamp Island, where residents were already contending with flooding around their homes and in surrounding communities following heavy rainfall.
“Their concern is not simply the rain itself but whether enough has been done to improve drainage, strengthen infrastructure and reduce the vulnerability that many communities continue to face year after year,” Duncan said at the time.
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