Mayor of Montego Bay Homer Davis says that while it is still too early to give a final cost on the damage caused to the resort city by last week’s flash flooding, it could reach a staggering $1 billion.

“Based on my information the damage is significant. The Chinese business community lost about $250 million, and I imagine that the other local businesses might be about the same. The infrastructure damage to people’s property within the North Gully area could also be a substantial sum,” Davis told the Jamaica Observer West on Tuesday.

He added that a number of roadways were also damaged during the flooding.

“In Flanker, for example, a number of roads were washed away, drains have been washed away and some blocked. In Glendevon, asphalted roads were ripped apart, drains washed away; in Rose Heights and Somerton, the same; in Unity Hall, roads that were recently asphalted were dug up… so, it’s quite a bit of a damage,” Davis explained.

He stressed that an enormous amount of resources will be needed to restore the city’s infrastructure that was battered by the flood waters.

Up to yesterday, technical teams were out in the field tabulating the damage done to businesses and infrastructure during the heavy rains.

A final report is expected to be submitted to the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development in coming days.

Commercial life of the bustling city was virtually brought to a standstill last week Wednesday, after the torrential rain caused flooding in several areas, leaving a trail of thick mud and destruction.

A day after the massive flooding, Prime Minister Andrew Holness led a high-level team, including representatives of the National Works Agency, St James Members of Parliament, and the Montego Bay mayor, on a tour of sections of the affected areas.

It was later announced that a total of $20 million had been disbursed from the Equalisation Fund and the Emergency Fund to undertake emergency work in the battered city.

And describing the flooding and its impact on Montego Bay as “crisis level”, Local Government and Community Development Minister Desmond McKenzie said that his ministry will work closely with the St James Municipal Corporation to return the city to normality.

He added that apart from the emergency work, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management will soon commence its assessment of the damage faced by individuals and businesses.

Holness also pledged his support for the city’s recovery efforts, pointing out that the Government would have to look at ways to mitigate flooding. He added that the supplementary budget will also have to be adjusted to allow for more funds to be disbursed to the city’s recovery efforts.

The flash flooding left several roadways blocked for hours, damaged motor vehicles, brought traffic to a snarl, and severely disrupted economic activity.

The flooding also resulted in the closure of schools in and around the city.

Yesterday, Davis said the clean-up exercise had gone well, stressing that normality has returned to downtown Montego Bay.

“Downtown Montego Bay is back to normal; however, we are still cleaning the North Gully which should be completed in another few days,” he said, adding that “some amount of remedial work” is to start on some of the affected roadways next week.

“After that is done, we will be making representation for the necessary funding to undertake major works on the road network and other infrastructure that was damaged during the rain,” said Davis.

Meanwhile, Davis is commending the team, for working assiduously to return the city back to normal.

“The city has been cleaned up, we have worked tirelessly and we are still working… the team has done a wonderful job and I am grateful,” he said.