President Bharrat Jagdeo has given flood-hit residents on the East Coast the green-light to break locks and occupy schools and to take food on credit until the swelling deluge recedes.

The government yesterday declared Regions Three, Four and Five disaster areas and plans to approach international bodies for assistance for flood victims.

A source from the Office of the President said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in the process of formulating the approach to the international bodies. The administration has already committed $20M for the relief effort and yesterday said it was to provide 19,000 meals for lunch and dinner to residents. There was no detailed information on where these would be supplied. There was also no figure on the number of persons directly affected by the floods though figures ranged between 50,000 to 100,000.

Relief efforts were described as haphazard yesterday and many residents said they got nothing or didn't know where to go.

Heavy flooding followed torrential rains from Friday night and most of the coast was affected, some parts more than others. Rainy weather is forecast for Guyana for the next week and it poured again yesterday morning.

Declaring the flood a national disaster, Jagdeo told residents during a visit to Buxton, Lusignan, Annandale, Melanie, Non Pareil, Mon Repos, Strathspey, Better Hope, Friendship and Good Hope to `trust' goods from shop owners in the communities and government will foot the bill. But this approach is only to be explored by one group in every village which will keep an accurate record of what was taken on credit and not by single individuals.

The Head of State said yesterday that people are in need of emergency relief, which cannot reach all communities presently due to the climbing water level so the only alternative at this time is to rely on shop owners in the community.

"Now is the time to put faith in God and those shop owners in your area. We are willing to bring relief, but the water would not permit us, that is why I am urging you to come together and do this as a community. The situation that we are faced with is an unusual one; this has never happened before in about 100 years".

He told residents who are waist high in water to relocate to schools and community centres temporarily where aid can reach them without any difficulty. He also advised them to co-operate among themselves and ensure that everyone affected is given relief and not just some sections of the community.

The President said the flooding is a result of the incessant showers. Responding to questions asked by residents, he said the usual rainfall in January is measured at 7 inches, but the country has had 28 inches of rainfall within a few days. According to him, the conservancy is filled and there has been overtopping in several areas. However, water is presently being drained into the Mahaica and Demerara Rivers to ease the build-up in several hard-hit areas. He assured residents along the East Coast that drainage is not the problem after many of them called on him to provide better drainage in the country. There are lingering questions as to why the floods have been so severe as many locals say previous rain of this magnitude has not resulted in such inundation.

Better Hope residents flocked to have an audience with the President after word spread that he was in the area yesterday. Some came by boat while other walked through water 15 inches high to voice their concern, which was mainly about drinking water and food to eat.

"Where's the food and clean water", "Mr. President we are going through hell" and "Comrade where's the help" were some of the sentiments aired by residents. Many of them said the water was at shocking levels in their homes and invited the President to see for himself.

The President told them that meals can be uplifted at the Civil Defence Commission and the Guyana Relief Council in the city. He said government had purchased food and they also had the police and the army cook for flood-hit residents in Georgetown and other areas who were without food. He told residents that those who are unable to journey to the city must rely on shop owners in the area for the rations that would be provided.

Over in Buxton several indignant residents told Jagdeo that relief was supplied on the East Coast, but they were forgotten. Many of them said water had swamped beds, furniture and appliances and there is no help from any agency in the area.

"No Ministry of Health, no engineers, no city council, nobody just we, the water and snakes. Buxton is part of the East Coast too and we are affected, so where is the relief", asked Vibert Muffet, a pastor in the village. Muffet told Jagdeo that he woke up to find a snake in his kitchen where water is at his waist. The man spoke of concerns for health and safety prompting the President to say that officials from the relevant ministries will be alerted to the situation. Jagdeo told residents in Buxton that he is aware of the flooding since no East Coast village was spared. He said that everyone will be helped in the course of the next few days.

While the President was lending his ear to the residents of Buxton, Pearlette Jordan of Vigilance intervened to say that no one visited North Vigilance since the rains came and they are covered completely. She said residents were forced to leave belongings behind and move to cleaner surroundings. According to her, diseases have started to break out among the young children at the seawall where they are and it is still to make the news. She thanked the President for going around with the media so that people can know what is really happening at their end. At the time, she was carrying three bags of clothing and other items as evidence of the re-location.

Many residents in several of the East Coast villages asked the President where was the overseas relief for them.

They said Guyana was among the first countries to help Grenada after the hurricane and was also among the list of countries that aided in the Tsunami relief. "Now who is rushing to help us, Mr. President for we have made CNN and the BBC", a villager asked.

The President responded by saying that he has received a call from the Surinamese President who has pledged his support. However, he told the people that Trinidad and a few other Caribbean countries are experiencing disasters of their own.

Before leaving for Georgetown, the President pledged to return to the East Coast today to see whether any progress has been made with respect to food. Minister of Housing and Water, Shaik Baksh and employees of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) were also on the East Coast yesterday distributing bottled water to residents. The distribution effort commenced at Better Hope and ended at Non Pareil. Baksh is due to return today to provide relief for additional communities.