Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

A section of the Gordon Town main road in east rural St. Andrew was flooded yesterday by the intermittent showers that have been affecting the island for the past two days. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

The rainfall which the island has been experiencing for the last two days is expected to continue into this evening, due to a tropical wave affecting the country, according to the Meteorological Service.

A flash-flood warning, which was in effect until 5:00 this morning, had been issued by the Meteorological Service for low-lying and flood-prone areas of eastern and central parishes. But the island should expect deteriorating weather conditions, with showers and thunderstorms expected to last into this evening, affecting the eastern and central parts of the island. The Met Service says the showers and thunderstorms are a result of a combination of weather features. A surface trough, which was previously over the island, has moved on westwards, but a tropical wave has now moved over the island.

Minor landslides

Heavy rains which have been lashing the island have resulted in blockages to several roads and have caused minor landslides across the island. The Yallahs ford in St. Thomas was impassable yesterday, while the roadways between Ramble and Llandewey and Ramble to Cedar Valley were blocked. There were minor landslides reported in the Rochester area in Portland. Other areas in St. Thomas and Portland, such as Seaforth, Eccleston and Hectors River, were either inundated by water or impassable. The National Works Agency was working up to late last night to clear some of these roads.

Ronald Jackson, director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, is warning the public to avoid flooded waterways and to exercise caution when approaching any ford in Kingston, or the flooded areas in eastern or central parishes. Up to news time, Jackson also said that due to the threat of flooding in some communities in St. Thomas, the agency was considering opening shelters to house victims. He, however, said that there were no reported injuries caused by the rains.