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Jamaica

Jamaica: Hurricane Emily - News release #9

Following the impact of Hurricane Emily, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is reporting that Welfare and Relief Teams are currently on the ground conducting assessments in some accessible communities. Preliminary Assessments would suggest that the parish of St. Elizabeth has been worst affected.


The ODPEM has also received the following reports:

Manchester

  • The Duff House to Alligator Pond Main Road is impassable and dangerous. Motorists should avoid this road.

  • The Duff House community is flooded and twenty houses are under water.

  • There is extensive flooding in the community of Lane.

  • Three families are still sheltering in the New Forest Primary School.

St. Elizabeth

Several communities in St. Elizabeth have reported flooding and are inaccessible.

  • The Bigwoods and Slipe communities are inaccessible due to flooding.

  • The Junction to Alligator Pond road is extensively damaged and impassable.

  • Ten houses in Bull Savannah are currently under water

  • The Pedro Cross to Newell Main Road is impassable. There has been significant damage to the entire road network in the Pedro Cross area.

  • The Shortwood to Beacon Road Main Road is cut off preventing access to the community of Newcombe Valley

  • The Treasure Beach community is currently inaccessible. The road in the vicinity of the Police Station has split in two. The National Works Agency has been notified.

  • The ODPEM has been advised that a car with five persons was reportedly washed into a nearby lake in the Myersville area. The St. Elizabeth Parish Disaster Committee is reporting that two bodies have been subsequently recovered and search and rescue efforts are now underway for reportedly additional three additional persons.

  • Flooding has occurred at Zinnia Way in Black River and Fort Charles in South St. Elizabeth.

  • Flooding has also been reported in the communities of Bantin and Mountainside.

An aerial reconnaissance was conducted today by a Rapid Damage Assessment Team which revealed significant flooding in the communities of Luana, Holland, Slipe, Hounslow, Middle Quarters and Elim.

Assessment Teams are currently assessing communities such as Dunkins and Old Bottoms in the parish which were reported to have suffered extensively from flooding.

Trelawny

In Trelawny, the road leading from Wakefield to Logwood Valley is still flooded and impassable.

Three shelters are currently open in Trelawny

(1) Unity Primary in Bunkers Hill has 24 persons

(2) Holland High School has 511 persons from the community of Zion which was significantly impacted by flooding. The water has subsequently receded.

(3) William Knibb High School is sheltering 67 persons from the Trelawny Informary.

St. Mary

Two shelters are currently open in St. Mary

(1) Enfield Primary has 20 persons

(2) Annotto Bay High School has a family of four persons