T&T to help flood-stricken Suriname

The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has sent critical relief supplies to Suriname, following torrential rainfall and flooding experienced by that country in the months of April, May and June 2021.

The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has sent critical relief supplies to Suriname, following torrential rainfall and flooding experienced by that country in the months of April, May and June 2021.

According to an official release issued by the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, relief items were transported yesterday, Tuesday 22nd June 2021, via a Caribbean Airlines aircraft leased by Suriname Airways.

“Relief items included garbage bags, baby food, face masks, long boots, mosquito nets, tarpaulin, cots and chargeable battery-operated lamps,” the Foreign Ministry confirms.

The Ministry says additional relief items such as water, hand sanitizer and water tanks will be provided later in the week and transported by sea.

The weather system which passed through the region over the last couple of days has further exacerbated the situation in Suriname.

The Government of the Republic of Suriname reached out to T&T for assistance, at a time when Suriname is dealing with a major flooding emergency, as well as battling another surge in COVID-19 infections—its third wave in the pandemic.

At the beginning of June, the head of the Meteorological Service Suriname (MDS) warned of even more rain to come in Suriname over the next three months, as the Caribbean settles deeper into the Hurricane Season. 

Flooding in April, May and June affected all ten districts of Suriname: Paramaribo, Nickerie, Coronie, Saramacca, Commewijne, Wanica, Para, Marowijne, Sipaliwini, and Brokopondo. 

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has confirmed that some 10,100 people from 2,020 families—at least 8,473 households—across the country have been affected by the flooding crisis.