By Petulia Clarke, Staff ReporterTHE MINISTRY of Labour and Social Security has assessed nearly all of the persons registered for flood grants and is still processing those displaced by October's tropical storms, Lili and Isidore.
Public Relations Officer at the Ministry, Debbie Tyson, said that damage has been set at well over $74 million and that, so far, 5,700 of the 6,000 registered persons have been assessed.
In the meantime, several others have been added to a list of persons who had been receiving rent and other allowances since the May/June floods. Current relief efforts include, the Ministry paying $3,500 monthly to help a family in Toll Gate, Clarendon, whose house was destroyed. It has also rented premises for five families in Manchester.
The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management's (ODPEM) de-puty director general, Paul Saunders, said this is in addition to ODPEM/Ministry rental assistance, that has been ongoing for affected families who had to relocate since similar flood rains in May/June. Payments will continue until families can move back, or seek alternate accommodations.
At last report, according to the Ministry and the ODPEM, there were roughly 100 persons still in shelters in Kingston and St. Andrew and St. Elizabeth persons whose entire homes were washed away, or who have been made homeless by rising waters.
Newberry and Newmarket, St. Elizabeth, are still submerged while water has receded in New River. Some families are still receiving food packages.
After the October rains, ODPEM was provided with $15 million for immediate assistance from the Government. It provided bedding and other essentials. Just over $20 million was distributed to thousands of residents in the parishes worse affected by the May rains, while others were given reconstruction grants to rebuild.
