AMERICA/GUYANA - Three weeks of worst floods in a century in much of Guyana thousands abandon homes, thousands are missing: disaster completely ignored by international media

Wednesday, 23 February 2005

Georgetown (Fides Service) - For three weeks much of Guyana suffered worst floods in a century which caused thousands to abandon homes and villages, and thousands more were reported missing. The floods started on 17 January but according to AIFO - Associazione Italiana Amici di Raoul Follereau - the disaster was ignored by the international media. For three week rural areas and whole villages and towns were flooded with water 50-90 cm deep. Many families were prisoners in their homes for over a week with no assistance. Telephones were cut and whole towns were isolated making rescue work difficult or impossible. Now the situation is improving but there is a risk of disease due to contact with infected water.
Dr Geraldine Maison-Halls, adviser for the National Rehabilitation Programme on a Community Base supported by AIFO, had to leave her home for three weeks. It was only when she was able to go home on 12 February that she sent a message to the national AIFO office to tell them that about 300.000 people in West Demerara, East Coast Demerara, Georgetown, East Bank Demerara and West Berbice had been forced to leave their homes and about 150 families of the RBC programme were directly involved in the disaster. Geraldine told the dramatic story of RBC reported Mr Walcott who has a disability whose business in Georgetown the only means of livelihood for his whole family was totally destroyed. Hundreds of families have no assistance and risk contracting infective diseases. The situation is particularly difficult for disabled persons. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 23/2/2005 - Righe 21; Parole 293)


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