OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Usually one of the areas inundated whenever it rains heavily, Cave Valley in St Ann was unscathed over the past few days. Residents are grateful they were able to stay dry when showers and gusty winds from the outer bands of Tropical Storm Ian lashed other sections of the country.

In Cave Valley residents had been on high alert, hoping they would not see a repeat of previous years when they suffered heavy losses.

“I’m happy my shop didn’t flood and I’m happy that I’m not affected in any way,” Sherona Johnson told the Jamaica Observer.

She is among those whose place of business is usually flooded.

“I had moved my stuff home just in case the water came, but it didn’t and I’m so grateful. So tomorrow I will go back to work and not have to think about fixing over my shop or anything like that,” she added.

During a town hall meeting in the parish this July, Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie said a technical team was being organised to assess the situation in Cave Valley and provide solutions to alleviate further flooding.

Though resident Paul Thompson was not sure whether work was actually done, he was thrilled that he did not have to recover from flooding this time around.

“Every time the place flood out the water cover up the place man. Me always affi a sweep water and mud out a mi shop, so mi just a thank God say we never experience nothing this time,” said Thompson.

“Mi watch the news and see how other people flood out and all them things under water and mi a tell you say mi feel it man because mi know the feeling,” he added.