Cops shot, injured in Naggo Head

A constable assigned to the St Catherine South Police Division in Portmore was shot and injured yesterday at Naggo Head, while responding to a robbery in the area.

Residents said that shortly after arriving on crime scene the policeman was attacked and shot by gunmen. Up to press time the Observer was unable to determine his condition.

Showers and thunderstorms likely today

THE Meteorological Service last night issued a severe weather alert for Jamaica, until 5:00 this afternoon.

“A stationary front which extends over the Central Caribbean is producing outbreaks of showers and thunderstorms across the island, especially over northern parishes. The front is also interacting with an area of low pressure north of Panama, which has the potential to become a Tropical Depression within the next 24 hours,” said the Met Service.

It said conditions were favourable for further outbreaks of showers and thunderstorms, which may be heavy at times, to continue over Jamaica and its territorial waters for the next two days.

14 New River families displaced by flood

SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth -Fourteen families have been displaced in the chronically flood-prone New River community just outside Santa Cruz, as a result of rising waters following heavy rains last week.

Residents from the community said yesterday that most of those displaced had relocated to higher ground to stay with relatives and friends.

However, three families have taken refuge in the Little Sinai Zion International Spiritual Baptist Church on higher ground to the north of the community.

“The church is not an official shelter but the official shelters are all the way in Santa Cruz and the people feel more comfortable in their community,” said Kingsley Clarke, the public relations officer for the New River District Development Committee.

Up to yesterday the more direct two-and-a-half mile roadway from Santa Cruz to New River remained blocked, forcing residents and visitors to use the narrow and much longer Brighton road which was itself flooded in sections and hazardous because of numerous and deep potholes.

Buchanan promises help for Great Bay

ST ELIZABETH – It probably won’t be as fast or as comprehensive as marooned Great Bay residents would like, but last night their member of parliament, Danny Buchanan sent the strongest signal yet that help is on its way.

Buchanan told the Observer that following a technical report from the Water Resources Authority (WRA) the minister of land and environment, Dean Peart, would coordinate a “multi-agency response” to the flooding of Great Bay.

The flooding has forced many of the more than 300 people directly affected to flee their homes. They have been left with no option but to rely on small boats to leave and re-enter their community.

Buchanan also said he had asked the National Works Agency to “marl” and generally improve a barely usable and circuitous road access to the community, pending the draining of the water that has cut off “three-quarters” of Great Bay.