KINGSTON, Jamaica — In anticipation of an active hurricane season, the National Works Agency (NWA) has allocated over $100 million for the cleaning of critical drains and the de-bushing of road corridors.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted recently an above-average Atlantic Hurricane Season this year, making it the seventh consecutive above-average hurricane season.

Experts estimate a 60 per cent probability of landfall in the Caribbean.

Due to this, NWA’s Communications Manager Stephen Shaw said the multi-million programme is targeting major gullies and drainage systems in traditional flood-prone areas, in order to mitigate the impact.

The approval process is reportedly complete and work is being done in all 14 parishes.

Concentrated efforts are being placed on sections of Boucher Gully, Columbus Drain and Tivoli Gully in Kingston; Cave Valley and Brown’s Town (Stanfast) in St Ann; Boston and Folly to Boundbrook (Cemetery Lane) in Portland; Margaret Gutter in Westmoreland; drains along the Shettlewood to Mackfield roadway in Hanover and the Jackson Town to Ulster Spring roadway in Trelawny.

Also, work is to be done on a section of North Gully and Montpelier in St James, from another multi-million dollar initiative that is being implemented for rehabilitative works.

It is expected that these preparedness mechanisms will be completed by the end of July and are said to be the first of three phases to prepare for the hurricane season.