AT least four people narrowly escaped injury in two eastern parishes yesterday as Tropical Storm Grace dumped rain and lashed the island with gusty winds.

In Bull Bay, St Thomas, a woman had to be pulled from a car that had lost its battle with flood waters, titling precariously to the right as murky waters raged around it. Three men were rescued — one by residents and two by firefighters — in Portland where fallen trees reduced many roads to single-lane traffic. However, there were no reports of major incidents or injuries up to press time.

The showers began from about 8:00 am in St Thomas and continued for much of the day, resulting in mild flooding in western sections of that parish. Residents in eastern and coastal areas saw signs of the approaching storm from early in the day as it began raining lightly, then intensified as the hours passed and the winds picked up.

Steady rainfall and gusty winds hit the St Margaret’s Bay main road particularly hard. Crews from the National Solid Waste Management Authority, the fire brigade and National Works Agency were kept busy throughout the day trying to clear roads.

There were disruptions to the power supply across Portland for much of the day, while the Internet and power also went for shorter periods in sections of St Ann and St Mary.

Along St Catherine’s coastline, in Old Harbour Bay, fishermen were seen frantically bailing water from a small boat they were trying to get on land shortly before 3:30 in the afternoon. As they struggled, the rain pelted them mercilessly.

Nearby homes fared no better as the approaching sea waters crept closer to their doorsteps.

There were no reports of major damage in Westmoreland, Hanover and Trelawny up to press time. In St James trees fell onto power lines, disrupting service to sections of Mount Salem, Chelesa, Irwin and Spot Valley. The Sangster International Airport remained open, however several flights were delayed or cancelled.