St Thomas

St Thomas was the hardest-hit area of the island yesterday.

At least two homes were destroyed and 1,700 people were placed in shelters.

In the Duhaney Park area of the parish, 19 persons were displaced. Those affected include three infants aged 11 months, nine months and three months.

The Cedar Valley police reported that the primary and junior high schools in that area were filled to capacity but persons continued to arrive, seeking a place to ride out the storm.

Ocho Rios/St Mary

Over 500 residents of Parry Town have been placed in the roughly 23 shelters that were open up to 2:00 pm yesterday. But ODPEM officials were concerned that those coming in had ignored urgings to take at least 48 hours of food supplies with them.

Chuck’s Bakery on Main Street in St Ann’s Bay managed to remain open up to 2:00 pm, selling freshly-baked loaves to customers still doing last-minute shopping.

It was one of the few businesses open as the electricity supply was down in St Ann’s Bay, Ocho Rios, Epworth and Brown’s Town for much of the day. Power was restored by early afternoon.

Up to midday, there were 30 shelters open in St Mary, housing over 700 residents. There were power outages in Highgate, Richmond and Hopewell. The National Works Agency cleared the Junction main road several times after it was blocked by land slippages.

Portland

Power cuts plagued sections of the parish from 6:40 am yesterday but at least two supermarkets opened for business in the morning hours, giving last-minute shoppers a chance to stock up on supplies.

One gas station was also open and a few taxis were on the roads. Strong winds pounded sections of Anchovy in the afternoon and there were reports that the Manchioneal Police Station was having a problem with flooding.

Westmoreland

There were a few people on the streets of this western parish yesterday morning, while others had opted to seek drier ground in at least three shelters – Savanna-la-Mar Primary, Godfrey Stewart High and the Little London Primary. Most of those housed in the shelters up to early afternoon were from the flood-prone areas of Little London, lower Savanna-la-Mar and Paradise.

The Savanna-la-Mar High School was set aside specifically to provide shelter for inmates from the infirmary. The United Church in Big Bridge was already full of persons seeking refuge. As in other parishes, ODPEM officials were concerned that persons who showed up had no food supplies.

Hanover

In the Hopewell section of the parish, some residents of fishing villages and seaside homes made it clear that they would not be seeking shelter in the facility provided – Jericho All-Age School.

Clarendon/Manchester

The early hours of the morning found butchers in Spaldings slaughtering animals and vendors plying their wares in the market. However, 90 per cent of the business places within Clarendon and Manchester were closed.

Taxis and buses operated up to midday.

About 10 families voluntarily left the flood-prone Alligator Pond area of Manchester.