Rasbert Turner and Athaliah Reynolds, Gleaner Writers

A Jamaica Urban Transit Company bus passes through the flooded Benson ford in St Andrew yesterday. - Photos by Norman Grindley/Acting Photography Editor

More rains are expected to pelt the island today, as the country continues to experience unstable weather conditions caused by a frontal system to the east of the island. The Meteorological Service yesterday said isolated showers and thunderstorms would continue over several parishes into the weekend.

Yesterday, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management reported instances of flooding and land slippages in several parishes across the island.

The National Works Agency (NWA) also reported that some main roads in Portland, St Andrew, St Thomas and St Catherine were blocked.

Alternative routes

The Bog Walk gorge in St Catherine was closed yesterday following massive flooding caused by rising water levels from the Rio Cobre. The gorge is expected to re-open today at noon. In the meantime, motorists are being advised to use the alternative routes, which are Sligoville and Barry.

The gorge was also the scene of a massive rescue mission as officials from the Jamaica Defence Force, the NWA and the Jamaica Fire Brigade attempted to extract several motorists who were stranded by flood waters.

"I find that the water just come down on you suddenly and I did not know that it was that strong. It was a miracle that my vehicle was able to survive," Marcus Nesbeth told The Gleaner as he attempted to pass a section of the road.

Hope for minor damage

Vivian Blair, an engineer from the NWA, who was inspecting the gorge, said it was hoped that the damage was not great.

"We hope that only minor damage is done to the road, so vehicular traffic can use it once more. It makes the lives of several persons easier," Blair said.

In St Andrew, motorists were advised to avoid using the Charlton Drive, Benson Road and Grants Pen Road fords due to flooding. The main road between the communities of Maryland and Woodford was also rendered impassable.

A large boulder had blocked the main road in Sligoville, St Catherine, approximately two miles from Bog Walk.

The road was expected to have been cleared and re-opened to traffic by late yesterday afternoon.

A motorist braves the heavy flood waters at the Charlton Road ford in St Andrew yesterday.