By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – President Irfaan Ali braved torrential rainfall after midnight on Monday, leading a high-level inspection of several flood-hit communities across Georgetown. The midnight walkthrough came as persistent downpours placed the city’s drainage network under severe pressure, leaving numerous streets underwater and residents on high alert.
Accompanied by Cabinet ministers and senior officials from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), the President conducted a firsthand assessment of the emergency response and the efficiency of the city’s primary outfalls.
A Race Against the Tide
During the inspection, President Ali explained that the city is currently battling a difficult combination of heavy inland rainfall and high oceanic tides. This convergence has significantly slowed the natural gravitational flow of water into the Atlantic, forcing a total reliance on mechanical drainage.
The President confirmed that all 15 of Georgetown’s mechanical pumps are currently in full operation. Nationally, the government has activated 217 pumps to mitigate the impact of the current weather system.
“We believe strongly that the monitoring system is live,” the President stated. “They have the graphs that show them the rainfall against the drainage capacity. Each pump’s capacity is being constantly evaluated. This is an approach to minimize the impact.”
Infrastructure and Maintenance Concerns
While acknowledging that recent government interventions have prevented a more catastrophic flooding event, the President did not hold back his frustration regarding the maintenance of local drainage channels. Pointing to a clogged trench during the walk, he noted that lack of maintenance continues to sabotage the city’s storage capacity.
“This is where the problem is,” President Ali remarked. “This should have been a drain that also had storage capacity, but look at the drain—not maintained at all.”
Emergency Response Ongoing
The overnight inspection served as a call to action for drainage teams to ensure that all assets remain functional throughout the duration of the rainy season. With several city streets still submerged, authorities are continuing emergency works to clear key blockages and optimize pump runtimes.
Residents in low-lying areas are urged to take necessary precautions as the hydro-meteorological office predicts continued rainfall over the coming days. The government remains in “emergency mode,” with technical teams monitoring the situation around the clock.
