Gareth Davis, Gleaner Writer

Hurricane Dean left a trail of destruction in Portland yesterday, wiping out several houses, damaging utility poles and cables while forcing more than 1,000 residents into emergency shelters.

Parish coordinator of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Denise Lewis, told The Gleaner this morning they were unsuccessful in reaching 45 shelter managers in various communities as Digicel network systems have been disrupted.

She, however, explained that 35 of the 80 shelters were currently housing a total of 1,139 residents who were evacuated on Sunday.

"The police in Portland have been dispatched to sections of the upper Rio Grande Valley," she said. "We are expecting that whatever damage, if any, will be relayed to the police, who in turn will coordinate that information to the relevant disaster agencies.

"It would appear that the bulk of the damage from the hurricane has been done to the parish infrastructure," Lewis added.

Picking up the pieces

Meanwhile, the main road leading from Long Bay into Manchioneal remains impassable to vehicular traffic because of downed utility poles and trees.

Rough waves dumped sand and debris along the Long Bay coast, extending as far as Hector's River.

In western Portland, a huge tree is now blocking the roadway leading to the town of Buff Bay and several buildings have partially lost their roofing, including the Buff Bay Resident's Magistrate Court. The Methodist Church, along with a nearby Anglican neighbour, is also roofless.

As the inclement weather persisted, residents were busily trying to pick up the pieces - literally. Some of the communities worst affected include Manchioneal, Halls Avenue, Breastwork, Fruitful Vale, Janga Gully, Snow Hill, sections of St. Margaret's Bay, and along the coastal areas of Hope Bay leading into Buff Bay.

Up to 8:00 a.m., the ODPEM had not received word from shelter managers outside of Port Antonio. A preliminary damage estimate is expected to be done today.

The Constabulary Communication Network liaison officer for Portland, Corporal Dwayne Campbell, has said his forces at the Manchioneal Police Station have been working in adverse conditions as a broken retaining wall and heavy leaking had made their job uncomfortable.