Flooding main hazard for Savanna-la-mar and Black River

MONTEGO BAY — The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), says it will be working with local government authorities to address flooding in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland and Black River, St. Elizabeth.

The move comes against the background of a study, which identified flooding as the primary hazard in the coastal towns. The study, done by a consulting firm, Smith Warner International Limited, was part of the 'Natural Hazard Management in Urban Coastal Areas' project, which also involved the town of Ocho Rios in St. Ann.

“We need to basically encourage the parish councils or find creative ways for them to get the funding required to enhance drain cleaning, add new drains, de-silting the rivers and just ensuring that the possibility of flooding and the vulnerability of the population is significantly decreased,” said Manager for the project,  Alicia Dunn.

She was speaking to JIS News on Thursday July 7, 2011 at a workshop held at the United Church Hall in Savanna-la-Mar to reveal the findings for the two towns. The report for Ocho Rios will be presented at a session planned for Pineapple Place in the resort town on Monday July 12, 2011.

Thursday’s workshop involved representatives from the Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth parish councils, public health departments, police, fire service, Social Development Commission (SDC), among other agencies and organisations.

Miss Dunn explained that ODPEM had hired the services of the consultant to carry out risk assessment of the coastal town identified.

She told JIS News that the consultant went into the communities and held workshops with the parish councils, community members and other stakeholders. Out of the consultations, a hazard, risk and vulnerability assessment was completed and a Disaster Risk Management (DRM) plan designed.

“So, we are having workshops, where we are coming back into the communities to share the findings of the consultant’s work, to show the risks and how to mitigate against them, how to reduce vulnerability within the communities and basically, how we recommend that the parish councils and the towns at large go ahead towards advancing disaster risk management effectively,” she informed.

Meanwhile, Environment and Disaster Risk Management Specialist, Eleanor Jones, said that the workshops are of great importance in enabling residents to become more aware of hazards and to be better prepared in the event of a disaster.

“We are in the hurricane season and we can easily identify with that, but persons also need to think of more than just hurricanes because we also have floods now that cause damage outside of the hurricane season,” she pointed out.

Westmoreland Parish Disaster Coordinator, Hilma Tate, said she was grateful for the session. “The study carried out by Smith Warner International has given us a better idea of the vulnerabilities in Savanna-La-Mar and through this, we will be better able to plan the way forward,” she said.

Physical Planner at the St. Elizabeth Parish Council, Shane Taylor, noted that the session was informative and the study will benefit the parish.

The Natural Hazard Management in Urban Coastal Areas’ project is being undertaken through funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and covers four areas: natural hazard and vulnerability assessment; education and awareness; disaster management plans; and community-based mitigation.

By ALDEEN CAMPBELL, JIS Reporter