Left: Motorists attempting to restart their cars after they stalled in flood waters along Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston yesterday. The Meteorological Office reported that the heavy rains which lashed sections of central and easten parishes were caused by the afternoon heat. - Norman Grindley /Deputy Chief Photographer.   Right: A man assists students across the flooded roadway on King Street, downtown Kingston, yesterday, after heavy rains lashed sections of central and eastern parishes. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Heavy rains lashed central and eastern parishes yesterday, resulting in flooding in sections of the Corporate Area.

Marcus Garvey Drive was again a scene of chaos as traffic backed up for miles and several motorists were left stranded after their cars stalled in the flood waters. Motorists had to vacate their vehicles and wade through knee deep water, while others stayed in the water and attempted to restart their vehicles.

One man on King Street, downtown Kingston, assisted students and adults across the flooded road using a handcart.

Work stoppage

The rains caused a work stoppage on the east-bound lane on the Mandela Highway. However, there was no major flooding.

In the old capital, Spanish Town, things went smoothly except for several commuters left stranded, as the operators of most public passenger vehicles had withdrawn their services as a result of the rain.

Lawrence Brown, duty forecaster at the National Meteorological Centre at the Norman Manley International Airport, said the heavy "convection showers" were triggered by afternoon heat.

Convection is the process associated with the rising of warm air pockets and the formation of clouds. When the vertical motion of the air is rapid, convection can quickly lead to severe weather such as thunderstorms.

- Rasbert Turner