By Gareth Davis, Gleaner WriterPORTLAND:
AN ESTIMATED 96.5 per cent of the National Water Commission's (NWC) pipelines which were damaged by flood rains in Portland on Saturday, have been restored, says Viviene Brown, the NWC's parish manager for Portland.
In an interview, she told The Gleaner yesterday that the areas in and around Port Antonio which were without piped water after the heavy rains, have been restored.
QUICKLY DISPATCHED
"Our supervisors, engineers, and other members of our work team were quickly dispatched all over. We all know the importance of piped water and ... our team got the job done in record time," she said. Schools, business places and communities that were without piped water have now had their service restored.
"The communities of Berrydale and Grants Level, both rafting areas, have been cut off by land slippage. We are now trucking water to both affected areas," she said. "These are priority areas that have been cut off from society, and require immediate attention. Over 30 lengths of pipe are now being relaid and, before tomorrow, piped water should be restored to both communities," she said.
Fay Neuville, parish co-ordinator of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), told The Gleaner yesterday that of the 15 persons who were housed in the emergency shelters, seven remained - a woman and three children at the Salvation Army and three adults at the Bellview School, the only shelters that are open.
"Seven houses have been partially destroyed due to land slippage so far," said Mrs. Neuville. "Stony Hill, Bellview, Spring Bank, and Nuttall Road, are some of the areas where continuous land slippages have been reported," she added.
The ODPEM and other emergency team assessors, were already visiting residents who were severely affected during the flood rains. "The assessors have already visited and interviewed some 170 families, who have been affected by the flood," she said.
According to Mrs. Neuville there had been no contact from Fruitfulvale, Swift River and Shirley Castle. "We have had no contacts from our personnel there. Those were the areas that were ravaged by flood rains in 2001, and were later declared disaster area."
In closing Mrs. Neuville said that all the emergency teams had remained active and that the National Works Agency, with additional heavy equipment, was working valiantly to clear the many blocked roads.
