MANDEVILLE:
MEMBERS OF the Manchester Parish Council and the Mandeville Fire Brigade were kept busy yesterday assisting residents who were flooded out of their homes.
Hardest hit were persons living in George's Valley adjacent to lands being mined by two bauxite companies.
Residents of George's Valley charged that because of the mining, large holes are left near their homes. When the holes are full, the water overflows onto their property and into their houses. Personnel from Alpart, the alumina refinery, were busy cutting trenches yesterday to lead the water away from some areas of the community.
Residents of Caledonia Road suffered a similar fate because of what they claimed were inadequate drains to handle the volume of water during the rainy season. Four houses on Greenvale Road near Manchester High School were partly submerged, with some occupants having to swim to higher grounds.
They were assisted by the Mandeville Municipal Police at the direction of Winston Palmer, the Secretary-Manager of the Manchester Parish Council. Asst. Supt. Lyndford Gayle of the Mandeville Fire Brigade, told The Gleaner that although there was no loss of lives or serious injury to persons, property damage was heavy. He could give no financial estimates however.
He said his department had been answering calls for assistance from flood victims non-stop since the heavy rains started on Wednesday. Most of the calls were for assistance to rescue persons trapped in their houses or to pump water from their premises. A car was washed away by surging waters in Porus but its lone occupant was rescued; the car was not retrieved.
In South Manchester communities such as Cross Keys, Grove Town, Marlie Hill and adjacent districts, most of the damage was done to crops.
