Hubert Fagan had been counting on the plantain, banana and ackee that he had planted. But Hurricane Dennis spoiled his plans.

“A it (his crop) min’ me and mi daughter, and me use it fi send her to school,” said the Portland farmer who is well into his 70s. “Me vex, because the crops was coming on nicely and now the whole a dem break in two.”

Portland was one of the parishes most badly affected as the hurricane passed alongside Jamaica’s north-eastern coastline Thursday.

The Rio Grande Bridge at St Margaret’s Bay, a major thoroughfare, was damaged, causing a pile-up of traffic as police officers tried to prevent motorists from crossing on Friday.

“Mek mi gwan nuh officer,” one man pleaded. “A fi mi life, so mek me just drive through.”

One driver, who was behind the wheels of a pick-up laden with oranges, managed to convince the police officer at one end of the bridge to let him through and he braved it all the way to the other side.

“Mi nah turn back,” he said as he crossed. “Me waan go home.”

Lawmen had to physically block others from crossing.

The bridge was cracked in three places and hung over a muddy Rio Grande that had strong currents.

“I have told MPs Errol Ennis and Donald Rhodd that the bridge is cracking a long time ago,” said an irate woman, who refused to give her name. “See, now it just getting worse.”

The entrances to the bridge, which were first marked off with yellow caution tape, were eventually completely blocked off with sand as police officers were unable to keep watch all day.

Meanwhile, there were reports of blocked sections of roads along the alternate route through Cooper’s Hill. Yesterday, Land and Environment Minister Dean Peart said there were plans to build a Bailey bridge in the area but did not provide further details.

“The main priority now is to open up areas, relieve drains, and clear out rivers to ensure that water can run,” he said.

And over in the Buff Bay valley, the Cascade road was severely damaged, leaving about 500 people in the Rio Grande Valley cut off. Two shops and three houses were washed away as the Rio Grande overflowed its banks Thursday and a number of rafts were swept away.

But by Friday afternoon, many people, like the 70-year-old Portland farmer who had lost his crops, were trying to get their lives back to normal.

In Port Maria, they tried to shake off the buckets of water and dig themselves out from under the debris that Hurricane Dennis had left. Up to 2:00 am Friday, some homeowners across St Mary were still sweeping water from their houses.

“You shoulda see it this morning, the water was up to mi waist,” said Carlene Morrison who lives in Crab Hall, a seaside community. “Mi mattress wet up and me clothes wet up, too. Last year, (after Hurricane Ivan battered the island in September) me did have to fix me roof because the zinc fly off, but this time it all right.”

Clive Angus was also counting his blessings. The flood waters had surged into his children’s bedroom, damaging the bed and some of their clothing – but no one had been hurt.

His licensed taxi had also been spared the brunt of the flood rains, he said. “The water wet up the car mat dem, but it never reach the seats,” said Angus.

But Terez Morrison wasn’t so lucky.

“Water come in a di whole a me house. The bed dem wet up, mi settee mash up and mi bottom draw pon mi dresser gone,” she said.

But most people did not have time to moan about the damage. Many, like George Plunket, were busy solving their problems, reluctant to wait on help from the government.

“We had some leaks during the hurricane, so we are trying to fix the roof ourselves before the rain start again,” said Plunket. “We never get any help from the government last year (after Hurricane Ivan left its trail of damage).”

So, despite the debris strewn along the Port Maria coastline and motorists being forced to detour because some routes were impassable, it was business as usual in much of the town by Friday afternoon.

Dozens of residents walked along streets that were crowded by vehicular traffic. Most stores were open for business.

But Dor’s Fish Spot, located along the main road near a cliff in St Mary, will not be serving customers any time soon. It was completely destroyed by the hurricane.

Stacey Thomas, who has been running the bar for a year, said that the owner had just built an eating area which is now in shambles.

“Last year when we had Hurricane Ivan, it was not so bad. We only lost some of the zinc from the roof of the bar,” Thomas said.

Ironically, a bar that was only a few metres away from Dor’s was spared the wrath of the hurricane and was open for business before noon on Friday.

Correspondent Everard Owen contributed to this story.