Michael McLean, Gleaner Writer
SANTA CRUZ, St. Elizabeth:
HEAVY RAINS left scores of residents stranded for hours and did extensive damage to roads and farmlands in sections of St. Elizabeth Saturday afternoon.
The rains which started around 3pm caused flooding in the town of Santa Cruz where the main road in the vicinity of the Mandeville taxi-park was damaged by thundering mud waters descending from the Santa Cruz mountain.
A board house situated on the Alpart lands along the Centre Road, near the Santa Cruz community centre was completely covered by the murky brown waters. A family of eight had to seek refuge at a nearby shelter at the Santa Cruz Primary and Junior High school. When the Gleaner visited the home yesterday morning, Mr. Earl Baker and some of his children were removing muddy furniture and clothing from the house.
VEHICLES WASHED AWAY
There were also reports of motor vehicles that were either washed away or flooded in sections of Santa Cruz.
The National Works Agency was early on the road after the rain subsided, using heavy equipment to clear blocked roads and debris and by 10pm the Santa Cruz main road was re-opened to single-lane traffic.
Member of Parliament for North-East, St. Elizabeth, Hon. Roger Clarke, toured the constituency to access the flood damage. He said he will be meeting with management at the National Work Agency and with the Ministry of Construction and Works this week, to have something worked out.
