Heavy Rains Flood Vast Areas Of Guyana In South America

In 2021, in the middle of May, the South American nation of Guyana experienced heavy rain, causing floods in both rural and urban areas. The land area as well as the low-lying regions of the country are drenched in floodwater.

This is generally because Guyana is prone to flooding because the coastal plain lies below sea level. According to research reports, rivers such as Branco and Rupununi have led the Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, and East Berbice-Corentyne to flood.

The network of rainforests and rivers has led to this natural disaster. Also, it is reported that more than 6,900 houses have been drowned in water. Guyana’s coastal capital Georgetown witnessed more than 10 inches of rainfall in under 24 hours, and speculation on Friday for a downpour has been declared.

The heavy flood drowned ⅔ of the coastal plain, causing massive damage and killing six lives. On Thursday, Guyana’s President, Mohammad Irfaan Ali, convened a meeting with the cabinet to discuss measures to drain floodwater and rescue flood victims. Alerts have been announced to locals to avoid going through flooded areas. The state buildings of Guyana are transformed into shelters for victims of the flood. 

Effects Caused by the Flood in Georgetown, Guyana

 The normal working, schools and colleges have been shut down because of the natural calamity. The flood has adversely affected livestock, lifestyle, food, necessities, and hygiene. The has disrupted properties, people are dislocated from their native places and the economy is affected.

Over rainfall has led to the swelling up of river bodies, and drenched homes, and businesses are worst hit by this. Many internal areas of the Rupununi Savannah and Essequibo River basin have drowned under this water.

The flood has destroyed mankind, infrastructure and settlements including vehicles, personal assets, communication systems, transportation and emergency relief. The people living in coastal areas have been stuck between the sea and the sea wall.

 Agriculture which is the main source of food and is the primary industry for Guyana has been negatively affected by the floods. All major or small crops are submerged in water and no crops such as paddies and sugarcane are left to supply the locals. The farmers are distressed with the situation as crops as well as the loss of livestock have magnified with monetary loss.

Food Chain supply is disrupted in the nation which has led to widespread hunger and limited food stocks.  Because of the flood, there has been an outbreak of water-borne diseases that have raised health concerns for individuals, especially children. Also, harmful mosquito flies have increased diseases such as malaria and dengue.

 Floods have caused unexpected damage to industries like petroleum, mining and agriculture which are the backbone of the nation’s economy. The country has been facing a food shortage led to a price rise and disrupted the working of labourers in the industrial sectors.

Small businesses in the town of Georgetown have also experienced relative loss along with damage to products, machinery and raw materials. The nation’s oil reserve has been washed off the shores which was required for future generations, availability has been reduced. Because of a flood, the development of Guyana is hampered.

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Measures Taken by the President

The president of Guyana, Irfaan Ali has declared an emergency and has sent a relief team to rescue the victims. Many emergency shelters and food, medicine and clean water distribution relief work are going in the affected regions. The nation’s Civil Defence Commission (CDC) is carrying out the relief work with the assistance of some neighbouring and international organizations.

Rescue operations are also deployed in isolated and remote regions of Guyana with rising water levels. But the impact of the disaster is so devastating that people who have been victimized are criticizing the slow pace of relief work by the government authorities. They want the government to take strict measures for the drainage system and mitigate the situation with utmost sincerity.

Relief Work by Locals and Social Media

Despite varied challenges, the local communities played a crucial role in tackling the problem. The communities, churches, and social volunteers have been coordinating and working together to assist people in every possible way to combat the flood. People can forward to give food, alms, food and other necessities.

Also, they assisted in finding lost loved ones in this calamity. Social media helped in coordinating relief work, receiving donations, generating alerts among the neighbouring regions and alerting them through posts and notifications. Also, individuals who are vulnerable and affected are helped through this platform. All these efforts reflect communal solidarity and strength of unity.

Assistance Provided by Different Nations and Organisations

 Some nations came out for help to provide possible requirements to relieve Guyana’s people from this unexpected event. The nation received international aid in the form of funds, foodgrain supplies, relief kits, technical expertise, medical assistance, etc. CDEMA (Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency) is an organisation specialized in the technical coordination of regions, sending teams to make damage analyses and assist in relief work.

It is within such a situation that international organizations like the United Nations and NGOs like the Red Cross and Oxfam came in front of Guyana to give a helping hand. However, long-term recovery plans are needed because Guyana must rebuild the infrastructure and meet the damages to livelihood. Also, new techniques must be installed to maintain a proper drainage system before the rainfall season. Georgetown’s small businesses need financial assistance to rebuild the losses.

The government and assistance of other nations are required to get a long-term solution for Guyana to mitigate future losses if such mishappening occurs. Terrestrial management techniques, reforestation, and better flood management tools can assist in avoiding this natural calamity in future. Also, separate funds must be arranged for the victims who suffered huge damage in this course.

Conclusion 

The flood in Gunaya, South America is an example of the country’s vulnerability in management systems and weather events. The country and other assisting nations along with various organisations have mitigated damage and relief. But after this scenario, immediate long-term solutions are required to combat this type of situation in future as Gunaya is a coastal plain area and experiences rainfall very often. After coming across this event, Gunaya can become and rebuild itself into a stronger nation in the right direction.