ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica – Government Minister and Member of Parliament for St Elizabeth South Western Floyd Green says there is significant damage to roads in his constituency.

This is as a result of heavy and persistent rain associated with Tropical Storm Ida.

“We still have some roadways that are [flooded], New Holland to Middle Quarters. We have some sections there where the river has overflowed its banks and made it only one-way traffic,” he told OBSERVER ONLINE a short while ago.

“We have in a number of communities [with] significant damage to roads like in Round Hill, Forest Mountain and Fustic Grove,” he added.

He said there is concern about rising water levels in Treasure Beach.

“We have significant damage to roads and then we are still watching. We are a bit concerned about the rising water levels in the Treasure Beach area. It is an area with a number of ponds and [they] are rising,” he said.

“I am actually heading now to Crawford where we actually had some flooding last night. The water has receded from the roadway, but the houses are still being impacted, and at Border the water has receded again, but we had to send out some teams to do some clearing of roads,” added Green.

He said teams are out trying to clear roads in several communities.

“In fact, I have had some teams out in the Cross Road area, so we cleared a lot of the marl and debris that washed down into Cross Road to make it drivable and we cleared some of the areas leading to Fustic Grove and down to Border,” he said.

“I have heard from farmers in the Hounslow area [who] have been flooded out. We do have some reports of flooding in Bigwoods and Knoxwood,” said Green.

He said all stakeholders are out in the affected areas.

“We won’t get a true picture until probably about Monday when the sun comes back out, as it is now, I am moving around the constituency…. The NWA has been on the road [since] morning and I have gotten a report from them in terms of areas that they have seen that need urgent intervention… The local team is out working, and I am sure the Municipal Corporation is also on the ground. My Councillors have been out since morning, looking at the areas and seeing how best we can offer some support,” said Green.

Information reaching OBSERVER ONLINE is that in northern St Elizabeth there are reports of flooding and landslides. 

 Kasey Williams