Workers from the Ministry of Health were sent home yesterday as the King Street, downtown Kingston, building had been left flooded by the heavy rains that lashed the island over the weekend.

A source at the ministry, who asked not to be named because they were not authorised to speak on the matter, told The Gleaner that workers were instructed to go home at minutes after 11 a.m.

"Inside the elevators were soaking wet, the ninth floor was flooded and also the eighth floor where the permanent secretary and the chief medical officer are located," the ministry employee said.

The employee could not pinpoint the exact source of the leak, but said the building was in a great state of disrepair.

Up to press time, The Gleaner was unable to get a response from ministry officials.