By Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer
This sign posted at the entrance to the town of Newmarket, St. Elizabeth, warns commuters against entry due to the rising flood waters. - Noel Thompson/ Freelance Photographer
WESTERN BUREAU:
IF THE assessment of the Water Resource Authority (WRA) proves correct, residents of Newmarket, St. Elizabeth, who were forced to vacate their homes on account of the recent flood rains, will be in for a long wait before they are able to return home.
In an interview with The Gleaner, Herbert Thomas, director of resource management at the WRA, said it could take between five to nine months for the water in Newmarket to recede. Chigwell in Hanover, which is still inundated, is expected to experience a similar fate.
"In 1979, the 24-hour rainfall for the Newmarket area was 12.3 inches," said Thomas, in reference to nine months of dislocation the flooding of that period caused. "This time, we do not have data for Newmarket but I am assuming that the recent rainfall could be about the same."
Despite the prediction of the WRA, the residents of Newmarket have rejected all notion of relocating to other areas. According to farmer, Wilbert Hussett, who experience the flooding 22 years ago, the residents have no plans to leave.
"It was worse than this in the June 1979 flood and we just wait until the water draw and then we go right back there," said Hussett. "We don't have anywhere else to go."
However, Mr. Thomas is contending that the residents are not aware that there are a number of depressions in the areas, which are under-laid with a type of limestone. He said that the depressions do not allow the water, which drains out via sinkholes, to move out quickly. He also noted that there were tremendous amounts of rainfalls in the areas over the past few weeks and that the water collected was still draining into the depressions.
"The rate at which it (the water) is moving out of the sinkholes and the outlets to the sea is slower this time around," said Mr. Thomas, who clearly does not share the optimism of the Newmarket residents. "This means that the water level is rising inside these basins and it is draining off slowly."
In a release to the media last Friday, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) said flood victims were still being housed in six shelters across St. Elizabeth. The exact number of flood victims could not be confirmed. However, indications are that some of the affected persons are now staying with relatives.
The St. Elizabeth arm of the Rural Agricultural Development Autho-rity (RADA) is currently collecting information on the damage to crop and livestock with a view of providing assistance to the affected farmers. According to a RADA spokes-person: "What we normally do is collect reports of the damage, including crop loss, and submit these to the parish office. It is then scrutinised by the Parish Manager, who forwards them to the zonal director, then a meeting is held where a decision is taken."
