He said Cabinet was advised about a much more involved surveillance system that had been introduced primarily because of the accumulation of flood waters at the Boeraserie Conservancy on the West Demerara and the East Demerara Water Conservancy.

Luncheon said that as a result, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and independently, the Joint Services entities, particularly the divisional heads of the Guyana Police Force, have been tasked with compiling, updating and submitting reports on the extent of flooding in their respective areas.

On the ground and in the involved communities and regions, he said the National Drainage and Irrigation Board and the Regional Administrations in Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam); Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands); Four (Demerara/Mahaica); Five (Mahaica/Berbice); Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) and 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice), have been doing their own evaluation and assessments on the flood situation.

Luncheon told his regular post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the President that the National Drainage and Irrigation Board has been taking steps to improve the work of its flood control structures.

The accumulation of flood waters in the two conservancies has led to discharges (spilling over of water) and that has also contributed to the flooding, particularly in the low-lying and riverain areas, he said.