Robert Lalah, Staff Reporter
Workmen clean debris from a gully in Six Miles, St. Andrew, yesterday. Sections of Mandela Highway and surrounding areas were inundated after heavy storm-related rains last year. According to Derron Rattray, supervisor of the drain-cleaning exercise, the flooding woes will not recur. "Once we finish this, everybody safe," he said. - NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
THANKS TO extensive drain-cleaning work being done in the
Six Miles area of St. Andrew, the Mandela Highway and surrounding communities
should be safe from rising flood waters this hurricane season.
Last year, a section of the highway was flooded for weeks when heavy rains from successive hurricanes caused the Duhaney River to overflow its banks, badly damaging the roadway.
Residents of a number of nearby communities, such as Ferry district and New Haven, were forced to abandon their homes in search of higher ground.
PILES OF MUCK, DEBRIS
But this year, drain cleaning being carried out by the National Works Agency (NWA) should pre-empt any such occurrence.
This, according to O.T. Williams, Member of Parliament for West St. Andrew, and Derron Rattray, resident of New Haven and supervisor of the drain-cleaning exercise.
The Gleaner news team met Mr. Rattray and several other workmen yesterday as they worked to clear debris from three large anchor pipes that channel water from the Duhaney River, under the highway.
"We not going to have that problem this time. This is the first time in more than 20 years that these drains are being cleaned. Once we finish this, everybody safe," Mr. Rattray said assuredly.
Large piles of muck and debris, which were extracted from the pipes, lay waiting to be collected at the side of the road.
"You see how much we've got out of the things? It shows you how badly they needed to be cleaned," Mr. Rattray said, pointing to a few old pairs of shoes, a section of what looked like an old chicken coop and several plastic bottles. Work started on May 31 and should come to an end today.
TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK
According to Mr. Williams, the work being done in the area will prevent the flooding that transformed the area into a crisis zone even prompting a visit from then Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, last year.
The flooded area ground traffic to a crawl, creating a massive gridlock for miles as commuters from Portmore and Spanish Town stuck it out in the miserable heat.
Mr. Rattray made a special appeal as he pushed a wheelbarrow full of plastic bottles across the road.
"From I was growing up, my teacher used to tell me that people who litter are nasty. When these things happen and people flood out, everybody call up Government name. But is time people start take pride in themselves and think more about the environment. Is time to stop litter the river and the gully," he said.
More rains ahead
THE UNSTABLE weather conditions now being experienced islandwide are expected to continue across the island today, especially over eastern and northern parishes. The Meteorological Service of Jamaica has attributed the unstable weather to a broad surface trough now over Jamaica, the central and western Caribbean.
The Met Office said outbreaks of moderate to heavy showers could increase the chance of localised flooding in some areas.
Meanwhile, fishers and other marine interests have been urged to exercise caution, as gusty winds and choppy seas may be encountered in the vicinity of thunderstorms.
In the meantime, Nadene Newsome, director of information at Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, is urging the public to be cautious as there could be flooding.
Fishers and other marine interests are urged to exercise caution, as gusty winds and choppy seas may be encountered in the vicinity of thunderstorms.
