The new flooding comes at a time when the NCCR was considering scaling down the relief operations. In villages like Djumu, Asidonhopo, Semoisi and Awaradam, water levels rose over 6 feet, affecting schools, houses and medical centres. In the Cayana settlement several families in the lower parts of the village were being evacuated to higher ground.

Speaking to Caribbean Net News on Wednesday morning, Minister Michel Felisi, who is coordinating the relief operations for the government, said that with the recent developments “we have to start all over again”.

“This time we had the advantage, we were warned by the system we currently have in place and because of this we could anticipate certain situations and narrow the damage,” he added.

Meanwhile the government is studying an evaluation report from the NCCR regarding the flood, its magnitude and implications. The government has estimated that the relief and recovery operations in the affected area could amount to as high as 70 million Surinamese dollars (US$25 million).

The unprecedented floods which have resulted in extensive damage to houses, schools and other buildings, occurred in the first weekend of May after torrential rains pounded the area for days. More than 25,000 people were affected and now have to rely on government food aid to survive the coming six to nine months, since over 70 percent of the crops were destroyed.

The National Weather Service has forecast more bad weather for the coming period. The long wet season in Suriname runs until the end of July.