KINGSTON, Jamaica — As heavy rain continues to pelt the island, Prime Minister Andrew Holness is urging parents and community members to pay close attention to their children, especially those who are crossing flooded roadways or gullies.

The prime minister’s advice follows yesterday’s incident in which nine-year-old Kyle Richards was washed away in a flooded gully in August Town, St Andrew. The boy is yet to be found.

Holness noted that the country is experiencing a shift in weather patterns as a direct result of climate change.

“In tracking our weather activities over the last 50 years, the majority of our rainfall was concentrated in the north-eastern sections of the island, particularly in the parish of Portland. Based on our observation, this pattern has shifted to the north-western sections of the island,” he said.

“Jamaica is now experiencing longer, and more intense periods of drought followed by shorter and more vigorous rainfall in sections of the island which were previously not prone to such heavy rains; this shift has been overwhelming the existing infrastructure and resulting in flooding.”

Holness acknowledged that Jamaica’s infrastructure was originally built for weather trends of many years ago but that type of infrastructure is now obsolete.

“This is why it is important for Jamaica to have a strong voice in forces such as the United Nations,” Holness added.

“I will be continuing my advocacy for developed countries to fund climate adaptation and mitigation, for countries such as Jamaica, and other Small Island Developing States, so that we can put in place the infrastructure that can withstand these adverse climatic events,” he said.