KINGSTON, Jamaica — Effective immediately, the main road between Green Hill and Keynsham in Manchester is closed.

According to a release from the National Works Agency (NWA), the road had to be closed in the community of Evergreen, due to a major failure caused by the destruction of a storm water drain.

This is the second such announcement today from the agency as it was forced to close a section of the North South Highway, near Hague in Trelawny due to a serious failure in a section of the embankment forming the road.

Communication and customer services manager at the NWA, Stephen Shaw said that as part of improvement works along the corridor, storm water culverts made from High Density Plastic were installed.

He explained that one of the culverts was burnt from beneath the road, which led to the road collapsing during inclement weather now affecting sections of the island.

Shaw is now advising that motorists wishing to travel to Evergreen from the direction of Mandeville to use the road through Mile Gully, Endeavour, Johns Hall, Medina and St Paul. The reverse obtains for persons travelling in the opposite direction.

Shaw is also reminding the public to exercise caution when clearing land in the vicinity of culverts as the use of fire in the process can prove catastrophic.

In recent times the NWA said it had to respond to several situations where culverts have been burnt from beneath roads, either due to negligence or malice.

Last weekend, the NWA had to close a section of the Martins main road in St Mary in order to replace a burnt out culvert. The road had collapsed during recent heavy rains.