George Henry and Arthur Green, Gleaner Writers
MOST OF the roads in northern and southern Clarendon which were blocked by landslides or flooded because of persistent showers caused by Hurricane Wilma have been cleared by workers from the National Works Agency (NWA).
Checks with the NWA revealed that roads leading to most major towns in the parish are now operational, and open to single lane traffic. However, access to at least two major areas is still not possible at this time. The Alley bridge, which gives commuters access to the communities of Lionel Town, Water Lane and surrounding areas, has been destroyed and a section of Chapelton road in the north central section of the parish has been demolished between Four Paths and that town.
Persons who have to travel to Chapelton are forced to travel via the alternative route through Wood Hall to Cocoa Piece to Summerfield to Thompson Town. The Pumpkin to Reckford road in north Clarendon is also reportedly cut off.
However, roads such as the one which serves the community of Dykes Hill, Corn Hill to Smithville, Ritches to Coffee Piece, Orange Hill to Long Look and the Mainridge thoroughfare which were blocked up to Wednesday were accessible to single lane traffic yesterday.
The road at Grantham which was damaged during Hurricane Ivan last year and which had not been rehabilitated has worsened. The Balcaress to Sunberry road is only accessible to single lane traffic as a section has experienced a major landslide. Further assessments were being made on roads damaged in Clarendon up to yesterday and "by this weekend a better report could be possible," the NWA said.
In the meantime, the heavy persistent showers on Wednesday night have resulted in the worsening of a collapsed section of the Spaldings to Christiana main road at Bamboo in Manchester.
TRINITYVILLE CUT OFF
In St. Thomas, the community of Trinityville has been completely cut off from the Seaforth end as a result of significant erosion caused by heavy rainfall. Some 10 families have been washed out in the vicinity of the Logwood bridge. The Yallahs ford detour road in Easington has become impassable as well.
Parish Disaster Coordinator, Millicent Blake, said that the affected persons will be housed in the nearest shelter at the Yallahs Primary School. Other areas such as Mount Lebonus have also experienced flooding.
In St. Ann, two more families were evacuated from their homes in Foreman's Hill in Moneague after their homes were threatened by rising flood waters.
These evacuations brought to seven the number of families who have had to be evacuated from the community since Tuesday.
Additional reporting by Devon Evans
