f the East and West Demerara Conservancies. The overtopping of both conservancies caused extensive flooding Guyana’s Coastal Communities requiring many families to be evacuated and accommodated in Emergency Shelters at several locations throughout the country. The impact of the flood damage was concentrated within the coastal administrative regions of West Demerara/Essequibo Islands, Demerara/Mahaica, and Mahaica/West Berbice. These areas comprise approximately 62.4% of the population of Guyana. The damage to the agricultural sector was most severe in Region 4 accounting for 55.0 % of the total damage, followed by Region 2 with 23.2% and Region 5 with 18.8 %. Significant losses were recorded in the sugar, rice, livestock and crop subsectors. Crop production in Region 3 and Region 4 were heavily impacted by the flood disaster, accounting for 28.7 % and 58.2%, respectively, of total damage to the other crop subsector. Rainfall was so intense that new records was established - 1108.2MM.
The flood caused the established of forty-five (45) shelters to accommodate approximately five thousand (5,000) persons. There shelters were operated by personnel of the Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Relief Council and several private organization. Further, material support was obtained from the World Food Programme, Guyana Red Cross and several religious organization to ensure their appropriate functioning. Portable water supply to the affected areas through the normal supply system was nonexistent. This situation demanded the formulation of a plan to provide portable water to areas where the system was comprised and to those which never possessed an installed water supply system. Guyana Water Incorporated, the Ministry of Housing and OXFAM established a water distribution plan which satisfactorily ensured the provision of potable water to the affected communities. The Ministry of Health along with local government, PASHO, WHO UNICEF, Red Cross, Mayor and City Council and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils embarked on measures to alleviate the potentially disastrous Medical situation. Thirty-four (34) Medicals teams and three (03) environmental groups were employed during the period thus enabling treatment for 1214 and 264 patients. The main treatment and administered was primarily lactidoses of doxycycline. The treatment was administered primarily to prevent the spread of Leptospirosis. Reportedly, the main Medical reports were headaches, muscle pain, skin infections fever, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Deaths were Drowning-07, Suicide-01.
In total 1478 persons were wounded, 262,700 persons affected, 5000 evacuated and 56, 312 homes affected.
Source: https://goo.gl/898F3H