As the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) continues its relief efforts nationwide, flood-affected miners in Region Seven (Cuyuni- Mazaruni) and Region Eight (Potaro- Siparuni) will be receiving supplies by Monday, according to Director-General of the CDC, Lieutenant Kester Craig.
During a press conference on Friday, the Director-General highlighted that based on the preliminary assessment done by the CDC, the more severe impact of the nationwide flooding has been on agriculture, transportation, mining and health.
He also reminded members of the media that more than 36,000 households in 300 communities have reportedly been affected by severe flooding while 216 people are currently housed in nine shelters that have been activated in Region Two, Five, Nine and 10.
On Wednesday CDC’s Senior Response Officer, Captain Salim October, said some 15,367 hampers, including 7,537 food hampers and 7,830 cleaning hampers, were given to residents of Region Six. In Region 10, some 5,485 hampers were distributed, with 3,290 of these as food hampers while 2,195 as cleaning hampers.
During Friday’s press conference, however, the Director-General related that the CDC would begin sending relief supplies to those miners in the Lower, Middle and Upper Mazaruni communities in Region Seven and some of them in Region Eight, since they have been hard-hit by flooding in these regions.
“We have, thus far, with support from Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) particularly and some of the affiliated bodies, identified the communities or areas impacted, the number of miners directly impacted…” the CDC Head related.
As such, the body has been able to source supplies and commence the packing of hampers. These supplies, the Lieutenant Colonel said, should be dispatched by Monday.
Meanwhile, he also said that a detailed damage assessment would commence next week that could help determine the economic impact of the flooding, particularly in Regions Two, Five, Six, Seven and 10- which have been the harder-hit regions.
The assessment team consists of people from the Regional Security System (RSS), the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO).
It is expected that five teams will spend several days in these five hard-hit regions and they will engage residents, farmers and other affected people.
Meanwhile, at that press conference also, National Weather Service Director Dr. Garvin Cummings related that heavy rainfall can be expected as the rainy season continues.
