The Surinamese government has asked the Netherlands for help in tackling the flooding problems that Suriname has been struggling with for almost three months. That is what the Surinamese ambassador Rajendre Khargi told AP confirmed. It is not yet clear what exactly the aid will look like.
At the end of May, Surinamese President Chan Santokhi declared seven of the ten districts a disaster area. Two to three hundred families need help because their homes are under water and their crops are completely lost. Other residents of the disaster area have temporarily moved to higher areas or moved in with relatives.
The flooding is the result of large amounts of rain that Suriname has recently had to deal with. The lack of maintenance of drainage channels makes it extra difficult to quickly drain the large amount of water. Experts have indicated that the heavy rain could last until August.
In 2006, when Suriname also had to deal with severe flooding, the Dutch army offered support. A transport ship of the Royal Netherlands Navy was then active in the disaster area for ten days.
Brazil, Venezuela and Japan have already provided aid to Suriname in recent times, including by deploying helicopters and delivering food parcels, tents and other relief items. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency has also taken action. The National Coordination Center for Disaster Management (NCCR) has asked the companies that search for oil in Surinamese waters for help. Suriname itself has called in the army, the fire brigade, the police and the aid organization Medical Mission.