Situation on WCD being monitored
─Further flooding following additional high tides
─Cleaning supplies distributed
DPI, Guyana, Saturday, September 28, 2019
High waves from the Atlantic continued this afternoon to flow over the seawalls at Den Amstel, Cornelia Ida, Anna Catherina, Uitvlugt and Zeelugt resulting in many homes being inundated. The water at some homes reached a maximum of two feet.
Earlier this morning, around 4:00hrs, high tides of 3.42 metres, also resulted in overtopping in the same Region 3 communities and some residents were affected when approximately one foot of water entered the lower flats of their homes.
Officials from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure with support from the Region 3 Administration mobilised and distributed cleaning supplies and 1000 sandbags to the affected residents.
The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) also provided a long boom excavator that assisted in the cleaning of drains in Zeelugt and Blankenburg.
The CDC is continuing to monitor the situation as a reoccurrence is expected on Sunday morning around 05:00hrs.
Roughly a week ago the Ministry of Public Infrastructure published a public advisory notifying all of the expected inundation.
Extreme high tides caused flooding in 2018. However, following billions invested in sea defence, the impact of the flooding resulting from overtopping of the seawall has lessened
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure will continue investing in sea defence works which will ultimately see the complete stoppage of flooding caused by high tides.