BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — The Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) says it is sending a two-man team to Suriname to assess the impact of heavy flooding caused by recent heavy rainfall in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country.

The CDEMA team is led by its Programme Manager, Preparedness and Response Joanne Persad and includes Navindra Persad from the disaster preparedness office in Trinidad and Tobago.

The one-week mission will assess the situation on the ground and help with determining the response and humanitarian needs of the country.

“CDEMA is in solidarity with the Government and people of Suriname at this troubling time. We recognise the multi-hazard environment in which this severe flood event has occurred and have been monitoring the situation since March,” said CDEMA executive director, Elizabeth Riley.

“We have been in constant contact with the National Co-ordinating Centre for Disaster Management in the country and stand ready to assist where necessary. The Advance Team, which is heading to Suriname, will be able to better inform us of the co-ordination response needed as we’ll be able to determine the humanitarian assistance that will follow.”

Last week, President Chandrikaperdad Santokhi declared several areas, including the districts of Brokopondo, Sipaliwini, Marowijne, Para, Saramacca, Coronie and Nickerie, in the Interior and southern sections, as disaster zones.

The rains, which began in March, have severely affected agricultural crops, roads, electricity, housing and schools.

CDEMA said that following the declaration by President Santokhi it activated a high-level meeting attended by its international partner donors operating in the region, during which more than a dozen pledged humanitarian assistance to the Suriname people.

Funding support for the RSS transport of the two-man team and a Caricom Operations Support Team is being provided by the USAID Eastern and Southern Caribbean through the Caribbean Climate Resilience Initiative.