Heavy rains during the past twenty four hours which led to blockages in the Bog Walk Gorge, St. Catherine are being cleared.
Stephen Shaw, Manager of Communication and Customer Services at the National Works Agency (NWA) says heavy duty equipment and work teams were dispatched and have been working in the Gorge since mid-afternoon to clear the blockages.
He says the worst affected areas are Ribbits Corner located at the Bog Walk end of the corridor and Flat Bridge where trees, Bamboo, land slippage, boulders, silt and other debris are being removed. Mr. Shaw says weather permitting personnel from the NWA along with contractors and labourers will work in the area until the roadway is cleared to allow the passage of traffic through the Gorge.
There are several land slippages along the alternative route through Sligoville along the section of the corridor between Bog Walk and Santa Maria where parts of the roadway has been reduced to single lane. Mr. Shaw is advising motorists to proceed with caution along this section of the roadway while we continue our efforts to have the roadway fully cleared.
The Bog Walk to Barry roadway between the Bog Walk High School and Wakesfield is also badly damaged and motorists using this alternative route are advised to proceed with extreme caution. The Williamsfield to Glengoffe roadway is also impassable and the Mahagony Vale roadway located at the border of St. Thomas and St. Andrew is “cut off”. The Chovey to Claremont roadway in St. Mary is also blocked however work teams have been dispatched to the area and it should be reopened to traffic by late evening.
The NWA is advising motorists not to attempt to travel through the Bog Walk Gorge until advised to do so.
