WESTERN BUREAU:
Torrential rains in St. Elizabeth have again washed out roads in Santa Cruz, while causing widespread flooding in the nearby Bybrook community.
Both towns are in Essex Valley which is below sea level.
Yvonne Morrison, parish co-ordinator for the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODEPM), yesterday reported flooding in Wilton and in New River bringing to nine, the number of families that have sought emergency shelter from the St Elizabeth disaster agency since the start of the month.
"During the rainy season, if you are living in a flood prone area, you must prepare to evacuate to the nearest school or shelter," Ms. Morrison said.
"As part of our hurricane season preparation, we (the ODPEM) will be doing our part by inspecting shelters and conducting public education in schools and communities," the parish coordinator said.
In the aftermath of the recent flooding, Felton Brown, regional systems manager at the National Irrigation Commission, spent yesterday touring New River.
Residents in the landlocked Essex Valley customarily experience extreme weather conditions: hot, loose soil during the dry season and, occasionally, severe flash floods during the rainy season.
Beyond the geographical predisposition of the valley to flash flooding, some officials like Mayor of Black River Franklin Witter believe residents have contributed to loss of life and destruction of property by constructing on unapproved areas.
The conventional reasoning is that all the water from the mountains will run to the lowest point of Essex Valley, which is New River. Therefore, construction alongside the riverbed is likely to cause inundation.
The options facing the New River community is to relocate or protect the existing structures with sophisticated engineering that will allow drainage.
Opposed to relocating
According to Stallyn Brown, councillor for the Santa Cruz Division, New River residents are opposed to relocating and are lobbying the National Irrigation Commission for the implementation of a proper drainage system.
"Those settlements have been there over the years so the people don't want to leave; they think that if the drains are cleaned the problem would be alleviated," explained the councillor.
Milton Henry, director of engineering and technical services for the NIC, met two weeks ago with members of the community along with three other senior officials and agreed to rehabilitate the drains, a reliable source told The Gleaner. But he was unable to say yesterday whether this measure is sufficient to prevent flooding.
