Shelly-Ann Thompson, Staff Reporter
This newborn and mother, Marsha Allen (hidden behind the men), being assisted across the broken bridge that was made accessible by a makeshift ladder in Mount Lebanus, St. Thomas, yesterday. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
A broken bridge made accessible by a makeshift ladder in Mount Lebanus, St. Thomas, was the only way a mother and her young baby, just released from the hospital, were able to get home yesterday.
Being careful not to slip and fall with her child into the rising waters, Marsha Allen handed her baby to a friend.
"Nuh drop him, yu nuh," Ms. Allen told him.
Hundreds of residents of Mount Lebanus awoke yesterday morning to find out that they were marooned in their community.
The Negro River that runs close by the community had risen, due to the persistent rains affecting the island. The bridge that spans the river was torn away.
Washed away
The river also completely washed away a roadway in the neighbourhood, separating the community.
Yesterday, several students of the community were unable to attend school.
"Is like we in a little world of our own," one resident said.
Fitzroy 'Bigga' Thompson, one of the men who made the ladder, said that they did it for the senior citizens and children of the community.
"If somebody sick, them able fi leave," Mr. Thompson said.
Nearby, the residents of New Monkland have been affected by landslides.
Pathway inaccessible
A landslide Tuesday night destroyed a section of the main road making the pathway inaccessible by motor vehicles.
Councillor for the area, Deverell Dwyer, told The Gleaner that some 4,000 people use the New Monkland roadway on a daily basis.
"This is the shortest route if the residents want to get to Morant Bay," Mr. Dwyer said.
In addition, the community, which is some 30 minutes drive from Morant Bay, the parish capital, is without electricity and water.
Yesterday afternoon, workmen from the National Works Agency were seen cutting a route into the community.
shelly-ann.thompson@gleanerjm.com
Roads closed
The Bog Walk gorge in St. Catherine remained closed yesterday as the Meteorological Service informed that a flash flood warning would remain in effect for the entire island until 5:00 p.m. today.
The Met Service advised that at 4:00 p.m. yesterday, the centre of Tropical Storm Noel was located 65 kilometres north-northeast of Nassau, Bahamas, and about 330 kilometres east-southeast of West Palm Beach, Florida.
In Clarendon, one house was flooded out in Sunset Crescent in the Four Paths area.
An 84-year-old woman of Westphalia, St. Andrew, that was cut off by a landslide, was airlifted by the Jamaica Defence Force for medical attention.
Reports also reached The Gleaner that the Palisadoes Road leading to the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston was being threatened as the water from the sea was encroaching on the roadway.
The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management has advised the public to continue monitoring the media for further advisories and to avoid areas that are at risk from flooding and landslides.
For its part, the National Works Agency (NWA) reported that the island's road network continued to be affected by persistent rains associated with the storm.
Manager of Communication and Customer Services, Stephen Shaw, said despite the NWA's efforts to have affected roadways reopened, some roads still remained blocked.
Blocked roads
Manchester
The main road in the vicinity of the Greenvale roundabout was inundated.
Clarendon
In Four Paths, the main road in the vicinity of the police station was impassable.
Foga Road was flooded.
Parnassus Road (in the vicinity of the transformer) was blocked.
York Town (in the vicinity of the railway, at the intersection of Content Road) was flooded.
Comfort main road was impassable due to flooding.
Clarendon Park main road (in the vicinity of Juici Patties Restaurant) was inundated.
St. Catherine
The Bog Walk gorge is closed to vehicular traffic and motorists are being asked to use th routes through Barry and Sligoville.
St. Thomas
The roadways from Trinityville to Mount Vernon, Yallahs to Petersfield, and Whitehall to Hillside are impassable.
Bath to Barrett Gap main road is impassable, due to a massive landslide.
