Period Cover:
From 19-03- 20111200 hours to 20-03-20111200 hours

EVENTS:
The weather condition in Guyana over the last 8 hours has improved. Apart from some intermittent showers in some areas, the weather condition was fairly good with sunshine and high winds. The water level in the Mahaica and Mahaicony Rivers remains high. It was reported that there was a slight drop of the water in the Mahaicony River but the water level in the Mahaica River remains constant as at yesterday’s level. All the outlets of the both the East Demerara and West Demerara Conservancies remains open and there has been an incremental drop of the water level. The highest level tide for the month of March has passed without any major impact to the infrastructure and the low lying areas.

PROGNOSIS:
Hydomet Department predicts that this weather condition is likely to continue until Wednesday March 23 with mostly cloudy to overcast conditions and occasional rainfall.  

IMPACT:
The total losses and number of persons affected to date is yet to be determined. The initial situation report conducted in the Mahaica and Mahaicony areas reveals that farming, livestock and the residents are affected by the heavy accumulation of water on the land. Residents in these areas, where the lower levels of their houses are flooded, have move to the upper flats. Residents are also relocating their livestock to higher grounds.


ACTIONS TAKEN:

Civil Defence Commission
The NEOC remains at Level 1 Activation and the CDC has conducted assessments in the Mahaica and Mahaicony areas. The Commission remains in constant contact with the EDWC, NDIA, Hydromet, residents of the affected communities and is updating the members of the NEOC of the current flood situation. Additionally, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) has been alerted and is also being updated of the current situation.

Ministries and Government Organisations
Several senior government officials were deployed to the affected areas to assess the damages and conducted meetings with the residents of the affected communities.

Ministry of Agriculture
The Minister of Agriculture and team visited and conducted meetings with the farmers of the affected areas. Additionally, technical teams from the Crops and Livestock Department were deployed to the affected areas and gave veterinary assistance.

Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB)
Teams from GRDB were deployed to the affected areas issuing fuel to operators of privately owned machines that were conducting remedial and preventative works in the affected areas.

Ministry of Health
The Ministry of Health has deployed teams to the affected areas and has on standby flood kits to be deployed once there are reports of flood related illnesses in the areas. Moreover, the Regional Health Officers have been alerted and are on standby to respond if the need arise.

Contact Information:
Telephone Nos.    (592) 226-1114, 226-8815, 226-1027 or 225-5847
Fax: (592) 225-0486
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