Drainage interventions in vulnerable communities continue by the Ministry of Agriculture to minimise the effects of prolonged heavy rainfall currently being experienced due to La Nina weather conditions.

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud continues to visit communities along the coast, to monitor ongoing drainage and interventions where necessary.

All systems have been put on a high state of alert and additional resources and regional bodies have been mobilised to make necessary interventions in vulnerable communities.The following is an update of steps taken by the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and other key agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and local government bodies to address this situation:

Steps taken since Sunday
Region 2
Mobile pump has been deployed to L’Union
Sluice at Uno creek has been reactivated
Excavator has been deployed to L’Union outfall

Region 3
Continuous maintenance of Canals Number 1 and 2 main drainage system

Cleaning of 600 rods channel in Bell West residential area Canal Number 2 Polder

Excavation of bypass at Hubu

Cleaning of sections of Parika main drain

Cleaning and Excavation of drainage channel in Free and Easy/Maria’s Lodge

Re-activation of La Jalousie sea sluice

Region 4
Installation of two tractor driven drainage pumps at Enmore/Foulis

Cleaning of outfall channel at Hope East Coast Demerara. Sluice door is now operable

Excavation of bypass channel from Plaisance to Better Hope to aid in the removal of high flood water between Better Hope and Montrose

Installation of drainage tube and additional mobile pumps at Nooten Zuil

Excavation of bypass and reactivation of sluice in the LBI area to aid in the removal of flood waters

Deployment of NDIA Excavator to excavate LBI main drain from LR pump to Sea Sluice

Installation of tractor driven drainage pump at Helena sluice to be undertaken tomorrow.

Region 5
Excavator deployed to seal overtopping of the Mahaica River embankment on the left side

Installation of two drainage tubes on the left bank of the Mahaicony River, in the Barabara area

Installation of tractor driven drainage pump at Burma, Mahaicony

Deploy one excavator in Biaboo area to raise embankment around rice plots to enhance the flood controls structures

Region 6
Cleaning and excavation works to improve the efficiency of the Number 43 outfall is ongoing

Additional mobile pumps installed at Number 43 Sluice

Sealing of overtopping of fish pound embankment at Belvedere

Emergence remedial works undertaken at Kofi Sluice on EDWC embankment