KINGSTON, Jamaica — The National Works Agency (NWA) has intensified its preparations for the potential impact of Tropical Storm Melissa on Jamaica.

The ramped-up activities include re-cleaning of drains, desilting of gullies and waterways, as well as stockpiling of materials.

According to Manager of Communication and Customer Services at the NWA, Stephen Shaw, the agency has since yesterday undertaken additional drain cleaning works, especially in communities along the southern section of Jamaica.

The additional works are being done through an allotment of some $200 million in emergency funds from the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development.

Shaw said communities in the parishes of St Thomas, St Andrew, Kingston, St Catherine, Clarendon, Manchester and St Elizabeth are being specifically targeted, particularly because they are along the southern section of the country and are likely to feel the greatest impact of the storm.

Additional works are also being done in the parishes of St Ann, St Mary and Hanover.

Noting that desilting activities in the lower section of the Sandy Gully, St Andrew were progressing well, Shaw said that up to 4:00 pm on Thursday, over 100 truckloads of material had been removed from the area in the vicinity of the bridge along Spanish Town Road. The protective work with sand bags in the McGregor Gully was also over 90 per cent complete at the two targeted locations, he added.

In the meantime, Shaw is reminding road users to exercise extreme caution in using corridors over the next 48 hours, especially where it is raining. He explained that flooding is likely in many areas, as they are low-lying and that rock falls may impact other corridors.