Tyrone Reid, Enterprise Reporter

Residents of Lennox, Portland, watch as workers from Pihl Construction cut a route to replace the main road between Buff Bay and Port Antonio that was cut off following heavy rains yesterday. - Andrew Smith/Photography Editor

As persistently poor weather conditions continue to rain abuse on the island's infrastructure, Ronald Jackson, director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), says the island is at breaking point.

Mr. Jackson told The Gleaner yesterday that the country cannot sustain much more of the beating that has been handed to it by the unyielding showers, which have resulted in landslides and breakaways that have left scores of residents marooned in the aftermath.

"We can't take anymore of it, period," Mr. Jackson stressed.

"The manifestations are evident. You can see it in terms of the implications on the infrastructure (as well as) the social implications on people who are dislocated whether it is temporarily or in the medium term ... that is why I say we can't take or sustain any more periods of rain," he said.

However, a release issued by the Meteorological Service yesterday, said this bout of rain is expected to last for at least another day. "Cloudy periods with intermittent showers and thunderstorms are likely to persist until at least Wednesday, especially over the north coast," read a section of the release.

Flash flood warning in North

The Met Office also issued a flash flood warning for low-lying and flood-prone areas of northern parishes, which include Trelawny and St. Ann. The warning is in effect until 5:00 a.m. today.

Mr. Jackson also noted that eight houses were destroyed yesterday. While ODPEM has already called on the Jamaica Fire Brigade to assist with localised evacuations, the Jamaica Defence Force has not yet been summoned to perform airlift services.

The director general also reasoned that the indirect cost that the nation is paying, and will continue to pay, is pretty expensive as well. He explained that the nagging rain has resulted in numerous traffic jams, which have resulted in the loss of man hours that has caused a reduction in productivity, plus, it has increased the possibility of traffic accidents.

Yesterday, the ODPEM reported that flooding of Fern Gully rendered it impassable. Landslides were reported along the Lime Hall Main Road, Dunn's Ville and Chester main roads. The ODPEM release said that the Lime Hall main road was cut off in two areas. Th route has also been affected, leaving persons in Hamstead near Runaway Bay marooned.

In a release issued yesterday, Stephen Shaw, communication and customer service manager at the National Works Agency, said that the agency had mobilised teams to respond to the situations in several communities.