Flooding maroons students and teachers at Baxter's Mountain Primary in St Mary

Dozens of teachers and students are now marooned at the Baxter's Mountain Primary School in Annotto Bay, St Mary, as torrential rainfall continues to impact several communities in the parish.

On Tuesday, heavy rains, which started about mid-morning, inundated a fording, rendering that roadway leading to the school impassable to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. 

Member of Parliament for St Mary South Eastern Dr Norman Dunn says the ford was constructed as an alternative to a now abandoned bridge.

“I understand the fear, concern, and anxiety of residents in that area, who are affected by the flooded roadway," Dunn told The Gleaner. 

“Students and teachers are also affected and there is now a definite need to have the original bridge replaced. The bridge fell into a state of disrepair about 25 years ago, and having learned about the plight faced by residents, I have been lobbying for a new bridge to replace the old one. The community of Baxter's Mountain is accessible via a fording, which I built about five years ago, as an alternative, "he added. 

More later. 

- Gareth Davis Snr

Follow The Gleaner on X and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.