Gareth Manning, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) and community-service workers of the Adventist church (in yellow shirts) assist a family in Race Course, Clarendon, to clear up damage done by Hurricane Dean last week.

The onslaught of Hurricane Dean has prompted Government to seriously consider relocating residents who live in low-lying and flood-prone areas. At the same time, several relief agencies stepped up their activities on the weekend.

Speaking at the post-Hurricane Dean community forum held at the Morant Bay Anglican Church in St. Thomas, Friday, Kingsley Thomas, head of the national recovery programme, said the Prime Minister would be looking seriously at the issue as damage sustained by flood-prone areas is draining the public purse.

"The country - as a developing country, a poor country, a debt-ridden country - cannot every three years spend money to repair houses," he told residents in Morant Bay, St. Thomas, one of the parishes most affected by Hurricane Dean.

Speaking yesterday with The Sunday Gleaner from Portland Cottage, Clarendon, Food for the Poor's executive director, Bradley Finzi-Smith, said the organisation has begun distributing food and has provided medical care for the residents. Thirty-five doctors and nurses have been on hand in the community to address the medical needs of residents while assistance with reconstruction is tostart tomorrow.

The Jamaica Red Cross has also begun delivering relief to victims in Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine.

According to the organisation, clothing and food have already been distributed and an assessment was being done with the aim of providing supplies to other communities on the weekend.

The Bank of Nova Scotia Jamaica has also donated $17.5 million to Hurricane Dean victims. The funds are to be committed to damaged schools.

Government has also announced a $9 million allocation to the parishes of Clarendon, St. Thomas, St. Elizabeth and Manchester. The communities are to receive funds of $1 million dollars each to assist with water supply to the most devastated communities, while those parishes less affected will receive $500,000. A further $2.1 million has also been provided to assist with emergency incidentals.

Meanwhile, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is hoping the number of people in the island's shelters will reduce even further by the end of today.

On Friday, ODPEM Director General Ronald Jackson said there were 1,293 people in 58 shelters across the island.

The agency says it has also stocked water to be trucked to all devastated communities, starting today.