Land slippages, minor flooding in Westmoreland

WESTERN BUREAU:

Four children, all under the age of eight, were among 11 persons who sought shelter at the Grange Hill Primary School as rainfall and heavy winds associated with the passage of Tropical Storm Rafael impacted Westmoreland.

Marcine Campbell-Kerr, parish disaster coordinator in Westmoreland, told The Gleaner that the 11 occupants had moved in “as part of precautionary measures so as not to get trapped in floodwaters should their community suffer from flooding”.

Grange Hill, which is in the plains, is widely known as a flood-prone area.

Westmoreland Western Member of Parliament Morland Wilson told The Gleaner that several residents in the Whitehall area of Negril had been experiencing flooding since Sunday.

“Even before the storm came, Negril had been experiencing flooding for two days now. The ground was already saturated ahead of Tropical Storm Rafael’s passage,” he said. “So, now with the tropical storm’s heavy showers, flooding is taking place much quicker.”

Wilson said that, on one occasion, he observed children and women running to higher ground, clutching blankets and whatever dry clothing they were able to find as they fled their flooded homes. He said other people were seen moving their vehicles to safety.

Savanna-la-Mar Mayor Danree Delancy said that, apart from flooding along Nonpareil Road and in the Whitehall area of Negril, the parish’s drainage system had stood up to the weather system.

“We did some drain cleaning in sections of Savanna-la-Mar and in Eastern Westmoreland, and I had encouraged all councillors to ensure that their major drains were clean,’ said Delancy said.

Tropical Storm Rafael triggered several landslides in the Williamsfield area of the Petersfield division, reducing traffic to a single lane.

Some trees were also felled along the McAlphine main road.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com