By Keril Wright, Staff Reporter
These motorists had a hard time in St. Elizabeth last weekend as they tried to negotiate the flood waters in a number of districts in the parish. - Patrick Campbell/Freelance Photographer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE HEALTH authorities in St. Elizabeth have initiated a vector control programme, aimed at preventing the outbreak of mosquito-borne diseases in the aftermath of the recent flood rains.
According to the parish's chief public health inspector, Lester Beharie, the programme, which began last Tuesday and is now in effect in areas such as Black River, Parottee, New Holland and New River, is expected to last until the end of August. He added that the 10-man mosquito control team would be moving on to Santa Cruz, Lacovia, Arlington, Treasure Beach and Brompton in the upcoming weeks.
"We are managing although we have a vast area to cover," Mr. Beharie told The Gleaner on Tuesday. However, he said that the recent flooding was unprecedented in the parish and as such, presented some challenges to the various help agencies.
Among the many challenges, Mr. Beharie said, was the fact that the flood waters, which left some districts partially submerged, has developed an odour. In addition, in some areas, the water was not receding as quickly as was expected.
"There are many areas which had never experienced any flooding before where no drains were necessary," said Mr. Beharie. "Now, they are completely uninhabitable."
New River, one of the worst affected areas in the parish, is one such challenge for the health authorities. The community, which had many residents fleeing their homes to escape the flood waters, is nowhere near being back to normal as the waters have shown no signs of receding.
In addition, it is a wetland and habitat to crocodiles and snakes. Among the residents who fled to higher ground in the community and have not been able to return to their homes are four families who are now living in the Little Sinai Baptist Church in the community.
Fifty-two-year-old Udalee Brown, one of the persons housed at the church, said mosquitoes have been plaguing them since the flooding began and she is most grateful that the vector control programme had started.
"They (the vector control team) came last night and this morning, so I suppose the problem with the mosquitoes will not be so bad tonight," Ms Brown said on Tuesday. She added that the has been receiving assistance from a number of disaster relief organisations and that the Salvation Army had given them blankets, food, stoves and mattresses.
