Heavy rains leave several roads impassable

Date Published: 
12 Nov 2007

Heavy rainfall along the island’s north coast has left several roadways impassable or reduced to single lane access. Several roadways in the parishes of Portland, St. Mary and St. Ann are now under water or being blocked by landslides and fallen trees.

In Portland, the roadway from Windsor to Orange Bay is flooded and is now impassable, between mile posts 41 and 42. Motorists wishing to travel towards Port Antonio are being advised to use the route from Spring Garden, through Chepstowe, School House Corner into Hope Bay.  

Several roads in the parish of St. Mary are also being impacted. The Junction road has been reduced to single lane access, while the corridor from Aqualtavale to Annotto Bay is now inundated. The roadway from Chovey to Claremont is flooded in the community of Lewistore. The Highgate Bypass is also now flooded. The main road from White Hall to Aqualtavale is now blocked in several sections and motorists are being advised to use the route through Highgate. The Dressikee main road is also under water.

Manager of Communication and Customer Services at the National Works Agency, Stephen Shaw says the agency has mobilised teams to respond to the situation in several communities. He says equipment have been deployed along the Junction main road and in the Highgate community, in order to keep the corridors passable.

In the meantime, the NWA is advising that the Fern Gully main road and Main Street in Ocho Rios are now impassable. The Fern Gully roadway is being blocked by fallen trees. A section of the corridor near Harrison Town has also been badly scoured. Motorists are being advised to use the routes through Breadnut Hill or  Chalky Hill.

Mr. Shaw says the main road from Lime Hall to St. Anns Bay is being blocked by landslides. A team from the NWA is now in the area, seeking to make the road passable.

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