State of Emergency in Region 7 as River Overflows into Villages

21st of June, 2022. Region 7, Guyana, South America. GSA News

Residents of Region 7, Guyana, South America are pleading for assistance and government intervention as floodwaters reach an unprecedented high. One resident told this publication that “never in the history of Guyana has the floodwaters reached this level before.” This is certainly worry signs of climate change which must be tackled at the level of international governments. But before we address that, let’s deal with the more pressing issue at hand: the predicament of the residents on the ground.

The overflowing of the Cuyuni River yesterday drove flood waters up across several villages including Cumang and Korotokuh. Residents say the water has never been so high and worse yet, it’s still rising. One resident told this publication that their animals, including horses, cattle, and sheep, ran away into the forest last night as the flood waters rose. When they woke up, they could not find the animals.

The floodwaters have also flooded farmlands and destroyed crops. Some animals such as fowls were temporarily moved to higher ground. Aside from that, the rising flood waters put the villagers under threat of dangerous reptiles. Residents say they killed two huge snakes which were encroaching close to their homes this morning.

Presently, residents are using boats to move around, get their meals etc. If the water keeps rising, it will inundate the kitchens of residents by tomorrow. The government needs to put its foot down and do something to relieve the distress of these residents now.