ST JAMES, Jamaica — The National Works Agency (NWA) has announced that significant damage has been done to roadways in several communities on the south eastern side of the constituency of St James East Central, caused by unusual heavy rainfall on Saturday afternoon.

According to Janel Ricketts, NWA’s community relations officer for the western region, from early Sunday morning a team from the agency began works to clear the blocked roadways and drains.

“We had significant damage in terms of landslides and block drains.  We are now in the process of clearing the corridors. There are some points along Spring Mount that are currently single lane access and we are working to have those cleared so the team is out now having the areas cleared. We will continue to work as well as complete our damage assessment of the area,” Ricketts told Observer Online Sunday afternoon.

A section of the John’s Hall main road blocked by trees Saturday evening.

She was, however, unable to provide an estimate of the damage, at this time.

“It’s early days yet so I am unable to give a preliminary assessment of the damage in terms of figures but just to say we had significant damage and we working to have this cleared,” Ricketts said.

Member of Parliament for St James East Central, Edmund Bartlett, who visited the affected area shortly after the flood waters receded Saturday night, said communities such as John’s Hall, Black Shop, Dam Road area, Spring Mount, Sunderland, Lottery Burnt Ground and surrounding areas are “absolutely disastrous”.

“The amount of rain that fell was absolutely unusual,” Bartlett stated.