Councillors of Region 10 Regional Democratic Council are urging the government, specifically the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), to address the urgent situation faced by residents of Kwakwani who have been affected by heavy flooding that started over the weekend.
Mark Goring, a We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) councillor, in a Facebook post noted the affected communities are Waterfront, Lamp Island, Jeep Landing, and Mackenzie Market. He stated that businesses and households continue to experience flooding, and water levels are still rising rapidly. On Monday morning, he reported a critical situation at the Mackenzie Market, where shops and stalls were submerged due to rising floodwaters.
Goring emphasized the urgency of the situation, calling on the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and relevant authorities to act immediately. He stressed the need for a thorough assessment of the flooding and the provision of emergency relief to support affected business owners and residents.
Residents and vendors were advised to exercise extreme caution and to relocate valuables and important belongings where possible to safeguard them from further damage.
In an interview with the Guyana Standard, Dominique Blair, an A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) councillor, explained that the flooding situation in Kwakwani remains dire, with many homes severely impacted by rapidly rising floodwaters. He noted that APNU councillors are mobilising relief packages to support families.
“Water is one of the burning issues that most residents are facing. We’re preparing to distribute water and supplies to ensure that families have access to safe drinking water,” Blair said.
Blair told the Guyana Standard that they are still in the process of assessing the extent of the damage and estimating the number of families in need of assistance. He stressed the importance of continued evaluation to ensure aid reaches those in need.
He further explained that Lamp Island has suffered one of the hardest hit. The community has been particularly affected by rising waters, which have disrupted daily life and threatened livelihoods.
In response to the disaster, the Region 10 Disaster Response Management and Preparedness Team from the Regional Executive Office (REO) distributed 25 hampers to affected residents. However, the limited number of supplies has proven insufficient to meet the growing needs of the communities. Several affected persons remain without assistance, underscoring the urgent need for additional support.
The flooding has compromised homes, access routes, and local livelihoods, with vulnerable groups such as the elderly and families with young children being especially at risk as conditions worsen.
To mitigate the ongoing hardships, the councillor is appealing to the CDC to send a team to Kwakwani to conduct an assessment. Blair also requested additional relief supplies, particularly food hampers, to support those displaced and affected by the floods.
In addition to the hampers, some immediate relief measures have been implemented. The Regional Executive Office has provided two homes at Staff Hills for displaced families. Currently, three families from Lamp Island are sheltering with relatives, with two persons from Waterfront Constituency #1 and three from Lamp Island also in shelters.
