NWA Clear Majority Of Roadways Impacted By TS Ida While Rising Waters Render New Market Roadway in St. Elizabeth Impassable

The National Works Agency (NWA) is advising that rising waters in the community of New Market, St. Elizabeth has, once again, resulted in the main road leading to Carmel, Westmoreland being impassable. The Siloah-Windsor Bridge along the Williamsfield to Aberdeen roadway in the parish is also impassable as a result of inundation.

Manager of Communication and Customer Services at the NWA, Stephen Shaw says that both roadways are usually affected by flood waters whenever there is a lot of rainfall in that part of the island. He says that the New Market roadway is often blocked by the rising waters of the Two Sister Pond in the community, while the Windsor roadway is mostly affected by deposits of flood water travelling from Southern Trelawny. Motorists wishing to travel towards Darliston, through Carmel, should use the alternative route through Kilmarnock.

Mr. Shaw further states that another area to watch is the New River community outside of Santa Cruz and while there are no reports of flooding in that area, at this time, motorists should exercise caution especially if the island continues to experience rainfall.

Elsewhere in the island, NWA has reopened the majority of main roads that were impacted, following the passage of Tropical Storm Ida on August 26, to at least single lane access except for the Lancet Hall to Mitchell Town roadway in Clarendon that has been closed as a result of a failed culvert.

Mr. Shaw says the Papine to Redlight roadway in St. Andrew is also impassable, at this time, following a massive landslide. Efforts are now underway to clear that corridor.

The NWA is urging motorists to exercise due caution when travelling along affected corridors and drive according to the road conditions.