Petulia Clarke, Staff ReporterEVEN WHILE heavy rains continued to lash sections of the island, clean-up efforts were under way yesterday as persons affected by the two days of flooding started picking up the pieces.
From partly cloudy conditions in Kingston and Central Village, St. Catherine to heavy rains in Clarendon, where most land slippage occurred, Metropolitan Parks and Markets (MPM), the National Works Agency (NWA) and Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo) teams were busy clearing landslides, uprooted trees and other debris from the roads.
An assessment of the damage is currently under way by the NWA.
At Central Village, uprooted trees were cut and packed in MPM trucks by workers while persons flooded out sought to mop and sweep water from their homes and business places. Animals were retied outside, clothes were hung on lines and businesses seemed to be thriving as usual.
In the hills of Clarendon though, the road leading from Chapelton to Brandon Hill was being cleared to allow single lane traffic through to Crofts Hill. Over 10 landslides were counted and up to yesterday several waterfalls, created from the rocks above the roadway. JPSCo personnel were also repairing uprooted lightposts and downed power lines in the rain.
The Alley Bridge in Southwest Clarendon was on the brink of collapse yesterday and motorists were diverted through New Yarmouth to Kemps Hill to Racecourse.
The NWA, in a preliminary status report, pointed to extensive damage to several roadways, including land slippage and flooding. Sections of Clarendon - areas like Pennants and Trout Hall were blocked, and the Cross Roads to Chapleton near Ivy Store was blocked by a road breakaway. The road between Four Paths and Cross Roads was reduced to single lane. Two land slippages occurred between Pennants and Kellits in Johnnies Hill and Crofts Hill and slippage also occurred in Colonel's Ridge, Frankfield, Mocho, Thompson Town and Rock River.
In Manchester, land slippage occurred in Bellefield and between Craig Head and Troy. In St Thomas, Mahogany Vale to Windsor Forest roads are blocked and in St. Ann, sections of Fern Gully and Ocho Rios are blocked. Debris has also caused flooding in St. Ann, St. Catherine, Kingston and St. Andrew.
Last night, the Bog Walk Gorge was cleared but motorists were advised to exercise caution when using the roadway.
Meanwhile, the Jamaican Red Cross, which had on Thursday provided warm meals for over 20 flood affected victims in Central Village, continued its massive relief operation in the disaster-affected parishes of St. Catherine and Clarendon yesterday. Red Cross teams also visited affected areas in Manchester, Clarendon and St. Catherine distributing food packages and blankets.
Last night, the Meteorological Office extended its flash flood watch to early this morning. The flash flood watch means that flooding is possible and citizens are advised to take precautionary measures and keep informed by listening to bulletins from the Met Office as the area of disturbed weather that has been affecting the island continues to produce heavy showers and thunderstorms.
The Met Office said that although there has been a decrease in shower activity, outbreaks of showers and isolated thunderstorms are still possible over the weekend.
