Floods: Mahaicony farmer loses 210 bags of seed paddy; livestock, household items under water

A rice farmer of Mora Point, Mahaicony River in Region Five is pleading for assistance after his family Thursday morning woke up to knee-height water in their home.

The flooding has led to the loss of 210 bags of seed paddy valuing $945,000 along with several furniture and household appliances.

“If you come right now, you’ll see all my paddy them floating,” Narendra Itwaru told the News Room in a telephone interview.

Itwaru said he was preparing to cultivate his next rice crop, however, the land is also flooded.

Household items affected include a refrigerator, wardrobe, cupboards, and a number of electrical items.

According to the rice farmer, the last time he experienced such a level of flooding was in 1996 due to intense rainfall but he believes the current situation is a result of overtopping in other areas.

He owns a large number of goats, ducks and other livestock which are affected. Itwaru said the diesel kept for tractors was also washed away.

Itwaru told the News Room that while an excavator is in the area, it cannot work due to the water level.

Several areas across the country are affected by severe flooding as a result of prolonged rainfall and above normal high tide.

On Monday last, President Irfaan Ali visited Mahaicony Creek to get a first-hand look at the situation. A visit was also conducted by Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, who outlined several measures being put in place to alleviate flooding in the shortest possible time.

He said several machines and tractor pumps have been mobilised to assist with sealing breaches and draining floodwaters from affected areas.

In addition, the Regional Democratic Council in collaboration with Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) distributed vitamins and molasses to approximately 100 farmers of Mahaicony Creek.