JAMAICA received a battering from Tropical Storm Grace yesterday as heavy rains and winds associated with the cyclone toppled trees, utility poles and flooded roads, leaving some motorists and pedestrians stranded in sections of the Corporate Area.

High levels of flood waters in the vicinity of the Tinson Pen Aerodrome on Marcus Garvey Drive in St Andrew, resulted in some vehicles stalling due to water intake in their engines. It forced the occupants of some of the vehicles to brave the rain and make futile attempts at ‘push-starting’ them, or seek help from others who had jumper cables.

On Molynes Road in St Andrew, near Tarrant Baptist Church, pedestrians chanced walking through knee-high water.

Further on Molynes Road, near Apex Medical Centre, motorists heading to and from Half-Way-Tree had to divert due to a large downed tree and utility lines blocking the road.

Near the Seaview Gardens Health Centre the road had the appearance of a river.

Last night the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management advised that Hordley Crossing, in the Golden Grove area of St Thomas, was blocked.

Bachelor’s Hall in Bath was impassable as was the Sunning Hill intersection with Bath.

A frantic resident of Bamboo River in St Thomas told the Jamaica Observer that he and his neighbours feared their homes being flooded.

Many communities across the island were without electricity for most of yesterday as Grace pummelled the island with rain and gusty winds.

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) said that its power delivery system had been damaged. Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine, St Thomas, Portland, St Mary, and St Ann were the parishes most badly affected.

Up to 7:30 pm yesterday, residents of some areas in Kingston Central reported that power had not been restored.

Winsome Callum, JPS’s director of corporate communications, said it was too early to report on the full extent of damage.

She said JPS received numerous calls yesterday about landslides destroying electricity poles and trees falling on power lines. The problem was made worse by blocked roads, intense lightning, heavy winds and rain that prevented JPS teams from commencing restoration works.

Callum called on JPS customers to exercise patience if they lose electricity.

“It will take some time to get the power back on. Our teams have to take precaution to ensure that all safety protocols are observed in order to protect life and property,” Callum said.

“While we understand the temptation to go outside to examine the damage done by the tropical storm, it is best to stay indoors at this time and keep far from damaged poles and lines,” she advised.