Flood Free Victoria meeting State House Stakeholders share suggestions on flood mitigation plan for Victoria |25 March 2022

Stakeholders share suggestions on flood mitigation plan for Victoria during the meeting yesterday at State House (Photo: Louis Toussaint)

Following the flooding incident due to heavy rainfall on March 11, Seychelles Infrastructure Agency, under the supervision of President Wavel Ramkalawan, yesterday gathered all the relevant stakeholders and agencies which provide technical support to the government for a special meeting with the aim of bringing forward related suggestions to help in mitigating such incident in the future.

Held at the Salle Maritime at State House, the meeting was to assess the situation and come up with immediate, medium-term and long-term solutions to the issue of flooding in Victoria and surrounding areas.

Immediate evacuation of water within catchment areas, including removing obstacles in rivers, assessing the capacities of rivers was the highlight of the gathering.

According to Keith Arnephie, director general of the Seychelles Infrastructure Agency, they have noticed that utilities infrastructure, including those of the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) and the telecommunication service providers are prominent in occupying significant spaces in the town’s drainage systems.

This, he said, is among the immediate steps to be taken in mitigating future flooding in the area.

Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment Minister Flavien Joubert, who was also in attendance, noted that several pertinent issues involving his ministry arose from the meeting, including desilting – to remove suspended silt from (the water of a stream) – which was not on the immediate plan, but will now be treated as a priority following the March 11 incident.

Evaluation of drainage, and waste management – prevention of stacking garbage close to rivers– are among the immediate actions to be taken, with the application of the law where it necessitates.

The amount of mangroves at river mouths were also discussed and Minister Joubert stressed on the point that since mangroves stabilises the coastal area, proper management of the species will be carried to ease the flow of rain water.

In terms of the usage of blowers by cleaning contractors, Minister Joubert noted that the issue is just a matter of contract adjustment and agreement.

It has been observed that the use of blowers is inconvenient since most rubbish are blown into the drainage system, thus blocking them and cause flooding during rainfall.

Proper coordination between the various agencies was also a topic discussed at yesterday’s meeting.

Robert Ernesta, the director general of the Department of Risk and Disaster Management, said the meeting was an opportunity to share the risk mitigation plan, which is part of a bigger plan which he said will lead to an integrated emergency management and coordination system.

Roland Duval