KINGSTON, Jamaica— The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) yesterday officially deployed five Detailed Damage Sectoral Assessment (DDSA) teams to Guyana to report on sectors affected by escalated flooding.

According to a statement from the agency, the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) called on CDEMA to prepare a damage and loss estimate report which will be compiled after teams assess the key Regions two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), five (Mahaica-Berbice), six (East Berbice-Corentyne), seven (Cuyumi-Mazaruni) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice).

CDEMA Executive Director, Elizabeth Riley, said “CDEMA commends the CDC for its leadership and is pleased to work in collaboration with our regional and international partners to provide support to the government and people of Guyana. I would also like to thank USAID, who is providing financial support for the deployment of the DDSA teams under the Caribbean Climate Resilience initiative.” 

The DDSA teams comprise personnel from the regional and international agencies of CARPHA, UNICEF, PAHO, FAO, UNDAC, WHO, UNFPA, UNDP.

According to the agency, the teams will be assigned to assess damage to the health, water and sanitation, infrastructure, agriculture, mining, social sector and shelter.

 The deployment will last approximately 10 to 12 days, and a final report will be presented to the CDC and Government of Guyana.

Flooding in Guyana began around mid-May, following extreme rainfall associated with the Intertropical Conversion Zone (ITCZ) and low-level troughs affecting Northern and Southern Guyana.