By David Dunkley, Staff Reporter 
A Jamaica Defence Force soldier prepares to be lifted with these two children to safety by helicopter yesterday after their house was flooded in Bull Bay, St. Andrew. Relatives look on. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
LILI, THE lingering tropical storm, dumped heavy rains on Jamaica yesterday, resulting in at least one death in St. Andrew, at least one woman missing, ravaging St. Thomas, triggering landslides, flooding out scores of homes and forcing dozens of people into public shelters.
At least one man was confirmed dead yesterday, several houses were washed away, and several persons lost their belongings and were left homeless, as flood waters raged through the Nine, Ten Miles and 11 Miles areas of Bull Bay, St. Andrew.
Several residents of the affected areas were evacuated by a Jamaica Defence Force helicopter. Others were rescued by other villagers.
The residents told The Gleaner that at least one man perished at 11 Miles when his car got stuck in the mud and flood waters swept it away. Several persons confirmed seeing the body of at least one other person floating in the muddy waters.
There was an unconfirmed report that a woman was swept away on the Trinityville main road, St. Thomas, and is believed to have drowned.
Late yesterday, police in Yallahs, St. Thomas, confirmed that the body of a man believed to be a taxi operator, was found in flood waters in the 11 Miles area.
The police, who said residents phoned them after finding the man's body, were unable to go to the area as they too were completely blocked in by flood waters.
They said that according to information from residents of 11 Miles, a driver's licence found on the body bore the name Winston Fitzalbert Davis, the date of birth as August 3, 1958 and the address as Lloydsvale, Yallahs, St. Thomas.
A Gleaner news team which went to Bull Bay yesterday morning had to walk waist-deep in flood waters to get to the 11 Miles bridge which broke away leaving just one side of the railings.
Buses, cars and trucks had to stop at Nine Miles, near to the Bull Bay police station as the rest of the road at that section was impassable to vehicles.
Several families who were left stranded in their homes, had to climb to their roofs to safety, waiting to be rescued.
Some residents were seen crying and comforting others while some joked about their predicament. Up to when The Gleaner's news team left the area, the JDF helicopter was still rescuing residents.
