Electricity supply was Sunday night restored to flood-ravaged Lethem, even as authorities activated an emergency system to aid stricken residents many of whom have been evacuated to higher ground.

Residents told demwaves.com that there is still no potable water and residents are relying on bottled and rain water collected in tanks. Two of three wells cannot be used.

Although the rain has eased the flood waters continued to rise because of unprecedented rainfall in the Brazilian and Guyanese mountains, causing the water “back up” in the Takatu and Ireng Rivers as well as the Moco Moco and Tabatinga Creek. Residents say that this is the worst flood in recent memory, at least three feet higher than the usual annual flood.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who visited the Rupununi on Sunday said at least three houses in Lethem and 10 in five other villages have collapsed. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.

At least 60 families have been evacuated to emergency shelters set up in a school, church and the community centre.

The electricity was restored after heavy duty cranes arrived, lifted the generators and placed them on higher elevations to escape the water. Residents and staff of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) were up to Sunday night in an uphill battle to prevent water from entering the building where sensitive telephone exchange equipment is operated.

The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has since set up an Emergency Response Centre (ERC) at the regional guest house to coordinate shelters, food and medical supplies, crop and livestock assistance, transportation and communication among other activities.

The Public Works Ministry, private sector, Guyana Red Cross Society and other volunteers are providing assistance.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who visited the Rupununi on Sunday, was quoted by the Government Information Agency (GINA) as saying that all villages and most farms are inundated.

Authorities are urging villagers across the Rupununi to reap as much as their mature crops of cassava and make cassava bread. Cassava is the staple among the scattered mostly Amerindian communities in the region.

The Remote Areas Medical System (RAMS), which operates an aircraft, is expected to shuttle out CXC papers from Lethem, Aishalton and Annai.

The Lethem- Linden road remains impassable, mainly between Kurubokari and Lethem.

Hinds said authorities hope to fix the road possibly by weekend.

With food and fuel supplies to last for only week, authorities might use the Fairview airstrip to shuttle in supplies.

“The general judgment now is that there is enough food and fuel for probably a week. We expect that many of the villages are in about the same situation, that they have enough supplies for the moment,” said Hinds.

Technical teams from the Ministry of Agriculture have been deployed to affected communities to assess damage to crops and livestock and eventually provide assistance.