Staff Reporter, Jenny Alphonso, reporting from the West Coast of Demerara, Guyana, South America.
Article first published on the 4th of November, 2019.
Last updated: November 6, 2019 at 3:47 am
After days of devastation, the West Coast locals are in progress of getting back to their daily way of living. Due to the rise in sea levels starting about a week ago, dirty water contaminated many homes causing destruction to appliances and household equipment of the people living closer to the sea walls of the West Coast of Demerara, Guyana, South America.
The damage of the flood affected approximately three hundred (300) persons resulting in illness and expense. One resident claimed that the flood caused her much inconvenience and disruption. Her shop, the only source of her income, was submerged in muddy waters and her business ran slow causing her to fall back on monthly bills and mortgages. She further lamented that almost all her household apparatus were destroyed since she wasn’t at home at the time of the flooding and this caused her almost half a million dollars since some of the appliance were bought on payment plans. Even though she had prepared for the high tide, the waters went over her sandbags and blocks. There was also garbage in her yard due to her neighbor’s landfill which added to her son becoming ill with high temperature and skin disease.
Residents had commenced cleaning their homes thoroughly since yesterday, 3rd November, 2019. Mud stains were scrubbed and loads of cleaning detergents were used to regain sanitation.
However, the people of the West Coast are reaching out to Government officials to pay heed to the drainage system because although it couldn’t stop the flood entirely, it could at least have it under control. Some persons indicated that once again they were left to suffer without any help and will try harder to prepare again for the next spring tide which is said to be expected on the 13th November, 2019 and is anticipated to reach heights of 9 feet.
On October 28th, 2019, Georgetown recorded one of its highest tides ever – a spring tide measuring 9.6 feet.
