KINGSTON, Jamaica – As conditions improve following the passage of Tropical Storm Gustav, individuals and families who were housed in public shelters are returning to their homes.
As at 10:00 p.m., Sunday, August 31, there were 24 shelters opened housing 312 persons islandwide.
Casualties and Injuries
There are a total of 12 confirmed casualties to date.
Affected Communities
A total of 72 communities have been reported affected by T.S. Gustav to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). The major cause of impact on these communities is flooding.
Critical Sectors
Health
The Ministry of Health continues to offer health care services to the public. The Ministry continues to respond to health emergencies as well as its surveillance exercise. A total of two health facilities are awaiting the restoration of electricity. Medical emergencies are continuously being handled in conjunction with the Police and JDF. All health systems are functioning.
Agriculture
Damage to agriculture was sustained mainly in the eastern parishes of Portland, St. Thomas and St Mary. Damage was sustained mainly to banana and plantain. Initial estimates suggest that banana cultivation in Portland suffered 90% damage, St. Mary 70%, in St. Thomas 80%.
Damages were concentrated in
– Portland: areas of the Rio Grande and Buff Bay Valleys
– St. Thomas: Bath Hordely, Golden Grove and Agualta Vale, Robins Bay, Pembroke Hall, Russell Hall, Gayle and Woodside
– St Mary
– St Andrew
– St Catherine
To a lesser extent Clarendon, Westmoreland, Manchester and St Elizabeth sustained damage to greenhouses, vegetables and yam. Preliminary estimates reveal that the sector sustained damages totaling J$1.7 billion.
National Infrastructure Status
Roads and Bridges
The National Works Agency (NWA) continues its efforts to restore access to communities marooned by blocked roadways. To date:
– 44% of all roads have been cleared or have single access
– 151 roads blocked by debris/breakaways
– 40 blocked by inundation
– Georgia Bridge in St. Mary remains impassable due to collapse
– Bog Walk Gorge remains impassable; motorists are advised to use the alternative routes: Sligoville or Barry.
Preliminary estimates suggest that damage to the countries infrastructure is in the region of J$3 billion dollars.
Electricity
The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has reported that it has restored power to 92% of its customers. The company’s efforts at restoration continue in earnest, however this has been impeded in some instances (Portland, St. Andrew and St. Mary) by inaccessibility, flooding and hilly terrain.
Water Supply
The National Water Commission (NWC) is reporting widespread disruption and damage to 65-70% of heir systems, which had to be shut down for various reasons including blocked intakes, turbidity, flooding and lack of electric power.
The company will be assessing the nature and extent of the damage incurred to its systems, which were adversely affected by the storm.
The agency has reported several systems in the parishes of Kingston and St. Andrew, St Catherine, Clarendon, St. Ann, Trelawny, Manchester, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland to be operational.
The Commission is working closely with the JPS to facilitate the start-up of systems that were affected by loss in public electricity supply.
Damage Done By Tropical Storm Gustav In Jamaica
Photo by: Ian Gage
Photo by: Ian Gage
