By John Myers Jr. Staff Reporter
IT IS life as usual for residents of Harmons, Manchester two years after a massive flood which completely submerged the community during the May/June and September 2002 torrential rains, influenced by tropical storm weather conditions.
Today, the community lies in total contrast to the devastation which changed the appearance of the bauxite-rich district into a massive pond. Buildings were destroyed and houses disappeared in the water which inundated the area for months.
NEW ROADWAY
Now, the sounds of heavy-duty bauxite diggers accompanied by monster-sized bauxite haulers, dusty earth and the hustle and bustle of the inhabitants make it easier to forget the disaster which consumed the area. When The Gleaner visited the area recently, there were numerous signs of development.
Just before completing a descent on entering the settlement, a sign displayed the words 'CAUTION: Road Under Construction'. A new roadway is being carved out of the hills to replace a section of the road leading into the community to offer safer passage to the people in the area. According to one resident, "dem seh hole under de (present) road." The community playfield is now the attention of development work courtesy of ALPART, which the residents say is transforming a portion of lands into a recreational area.
But on liaison with the people, the stain of fear from two years ago are still present. This has got even more intense with the onset of the rainy season at the start of May. According to experts and some residents, Harmons could be in for another round of flooding.
Residents maintain the view that the massive flooding was the result of mining activities being done in the area by ALPART Mining Ventures (AMV) which mines bauxite for ALPART and JAMALCO. The residents argued that the mining activities have again spurred a rise in the water table.
PROVING THEIR POINT
Determined to prove their point, the young men showed The Gleaner news team water that had settled in the bottom of a mining pit. They claimed that since the water started rising, the miners dumped dirt into the hole and abandoned the site.
Glen Lynaghth of AMV confirmed the presence of the company in the community. He told The Gleaner that "we were digging in the lower part of the valley in a pit that was flooded out a couple years ago and have reached where we wanted to go. A little bit of water seepage did show but that's just the water table," he said. Mr. Lynaghth explained that AMV had been carrying out mining activities in the area for three years now ..."but for quality reasons we have just finished doing what we need to do for the time being." He described as nonsense claims that water had been coming up as a result of AMV digging.
Meanwhile in New River, St. Elizabeth, residents have become "edgy" in recent weeks as a result of water settling in the area. Elaine Shields complained that since receiving a few showers, sections of the community had been swamped from the settlement of water. She pointed out that the drains in area have been in a terrible state and despite promises to have them cleaned, nothing has been done.
IMPROPER DRAINAGE
Just behind her yard, a body of water has started to form as a result of the lack of proper drainage. Situated on low lying lands near to Santa Cruz, New River has been prone to flooding. Already, thoughts of the destruction from the floods have begun to take shape in her mind. Mrs. Shields explained that during the heavy rains in May/June and September 2002, the entire community was flooded, causing widespread destruction.
Evelyn Scott who produces eggs on a mass scale along with her son, Derek Scott, noted that her business incurred huge losses as a result of the flood which wiped out her farm.
