Guyana: Floods - Jan 2005

Project Description

In January 2005, heavy rainfall caused catastrophic flooding along Guyana’s coasts, affecting 290,000 people – almost half of Guyana’s population. Total flood damage was estimated at $465 million, or nearly 60 percent of the country’s GDP, prompting the government to work towards increasing its capacity to manage flood risk.

MRS Doodnauth is being interviewed about the fact that the effects of climate change are what led the family to abandon their home and farmlands in the Mahaica Creek and relocate to an area identified by the authorities. She was clear climate change was not the reason.

• “And what’s the reason?”

• “Too much rain,” she says. “We have never seen so much rain and floods before.”

• “What is climate change?”

• “I really don’t understand,” Doodnauth says with a blank stare.

Georgetown, GINA, December 15, 2011

The Civil Defence Commission (CDC), which is the national body tasked with disaster preparedness for the country, this morning held a “Disaster Risk Reduction Coordination Platform Meeting” in the conference room of the Commission’s Thomas Lands office.

Georgetown, GINA, January 12, 2010

On January 15 representatives at the policy making level will be meeting to discuss future actions needed for a standard Disaster Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (DANA) system for Guyana.

The meeting will be guided by the recommendations submitted from a multi-stakeholder workshop organized by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) on disaster damage assessment and needs analysis and an integrated web based management platform which began today at Regency Suites on Hadfield Street.

A GINA Feature

Guyana, located on the north-east coast of South America, is subject to Atlantic swells and high-intensity seasonal rainfall. The coastal zone, which lies near or below sea-level, supports 90% of the population and is the administrative, agricultural, commercial and industrial center of the country. As a result of the dynamic interplay between high tides, high rainfall levels, and a network of drainage and irrigation canals, conservancy dams and sluices designed to support agriculture, the coastal zone is at high risk to flooding.

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Explanatory Memorandum

1 - Rationale, needs and target population :

1.1. - Rationale :

The Caribbean region experiences multiple natural disasters. Tropical storms often take the form of a hurricane1, and the hurricane season lasts for six months. There are also floods, flash floods, tsunamis, landslides and mudslides. Some islands suffer from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The physical risk is combined with socioeconomic factors, such as high population density, fast demographic growth and great poverty.

The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 181 countries. For more information: www.ifrc.org

In Brief

Appeal No. MAA49001; Programme Update no.

Washington, D.C., September 26, 2006 (PAHO)-"The search for equity in health is one of the main objectives that guide" the Pan American Health Organization actions in the Americas, PAHO Director Dr. Mirta Roses said today, presenting her annual report to the organization's 47th Directing Council, an annual summit of health ministers who meet to discuss crucial public health issues.

The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 181 countries. For more information: www.ifrc.org

In Brief

Appeal target: CHF 2,439,411 (USD 1,923,019 or EUR 1,581,564);

Appeal coverage: 74.4%.

This Annual Report reflects activities implemented over a one-year period; they form part of, and are based on, longer-term, multi-year planning (refer below to access the detailed logframe documents).

Georgetown, GINA, February 14, 2006 - The capacity of the Ministry of Health to deliver medical services to residents in outlying areas was boosted recently with the donation of a 12- foot aluminum boat equipped with a 125 HP engine.

Georgetown GINA February 09, 2006 - A military aircraft from the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela landed today February 09 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport with a quantity of supplies in support of Guyana's appeal for international assistance to deal with the impact of the recent floods.

Georgetown, GINA, February 9, 2006 - Floodwater in the Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary (MMA) areas is receding, as government and regional officials intensify efforts to drain the land.

During a visit to the affected communities on February 9, Head of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Chabilall Ramsarup, indicated that, "the water level in the MMA creeks is steadily decreasing, as the high intensity rainfall plaguing the area over the past several weeks, has abated."

Meanwhile, Minister of Fisheries, Other Crops and Livestock, Satyadeow Sawh, distributed 1,500 dry food …

Georgetown, GINA, February 07, 2006. The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) is continuing its relief efforts in the flooded Creeks of Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary, Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) even as the water is receding.

Head of the CDC, Colonel (rtd) Chabilall Ramsarup today said that occupants of the shelter at Gordon Table, Mahaicony, have indicated that they will be returning to their homes, since the water has withdrawn.

Georgetown, GINA, February 5, 2006. The situation in the disaster areas; Pomeroon River and the Mahaica, Mahaicony and Abary Creeks (MMA) is improving.

Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam)Regional Chairman, of Region Two, Ali Baksh, said the water has receded completely in the Charity housing area, which was severely affected.

"The water level at the conservancy is at a fairly controllable level, there is no breaching or over topping at the conservancy, however, there is water on some farms in the upper and lower Pomeroon areas," the Chairman said.

He said that the water …

Georgetown, GINA, February 05, 2006 - A nine-member team from the United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) visited the flood affected areas of the Pomeroon River Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) in response to government declaring parts of Region Five and the Pomeroon River catchment areas as 'disaster areas'.

According to the Regional Vice Chairman Vishnu Samaroo the team was in the Region on February 4 to assess the impact of the flood on residents.

The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 183 countries.

In Brief

Appeal No. 05AA041; Programme Update no.

The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 181 countries. For more information: www.ifrc.org

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