The main road between Hope Bay and Rio Grande Bridge in Portland is now impassable. Heavy rains this afternoon has left a section of the corridor between milepost 53 and 54 under water. The rains have also affected the roadway between Buff Bay and Balcares which is now open to single lane access only, resulting from fallen trees.
The National Works Agency is also advising motorists to drive with caution while travelling through the parish of St. Mary as a number of major road sections has been reduced to single lane access.
Manager of Communication and Customer Services at the NWA, Stephen Shaw says heavy rains in the parish over the last four (4) days, has resulted in a total of seven (7) road sections being affected by landslips silt deposit, and inundation, reducing them to single lane access. These roads are the Islington to Port Maria main road, Little Bay to Spring Head, Trinity to Fontabelle, Ballards Valley to Hampstead, and Sandside to Palmetto Grove which are all partially blocked by washed down silt.
Mr. Shaw also advises caution along the Broadgate to Agualta Vale main road, within the vicinity of the Broad Gate Square. He says a landslide which has occurred approximately 800 metres from the square, has resulted in this section of the roadway being able to accommodate single traffic only.
Motorists should also exercise caution while traversing through the town of Port Maria as the roadway is inundated.
Mr. Shaw says the NWA’s Emergency Response Team is currently in the affected areas working to have the roads cleared in the shortest possible time.
