MORE THAN 700 people were in emergency shelters up to press time yesterday, with flood-prone parishes in the east suffering the brunt of Tropical Storm Gustav's mighty gusts.

Christopher Gayle, of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, said St Thomas and Portland were most affected. He told The Gleaner that 200 persons were in eight shelters in St Thomas while 84 persons occupied similar centres in neighbouring Portland.

In St Catherine, approximately 150 persons were moved to the Old Harbour High School. They had been evacuated by disaster officials early in the morning.

Nearly 70 people had sought refuge in shelters in south Clarendon, Gayle said.

Parish disaster coordinators in St Thomas and Portland reported that heavy rains and winds caused flooding, blocked roads, damaged homes and flattened utility poles.

In St Thomas, coordinator Millicent Blake said Johnson Mountain, Spring Bank, Bowden, Winchester, Oldpera, Golden Grove and Whitehall felt most of Gustav's early afternoon thrusts.

Same story

The story was the same in Portland where parish coordinator Denise Lewis told The Gleaner that several homes were destroyed and trees uprooted in the town of Manchioneal, near the St Thomas border.

Port Antonio, Sherwood Forest, Fruitful Vale, Fairy Hill and Boston also suffered damage, Lewis said.

Alvin Clarke, coordinator in St Ann, said winds destroyed power lines across the Garden Parish. Fourteen persons were in 45 shelters there.