Heavy, sustained downpours that lasted for hours overnight have left large swathes of the coastal fishing community of Pagee in St. Mary parish, Jamaica, submerged under floodwaters, with local transportation networks thrown into chaos and residents bracing for potential further worsening of conditions early Thursday.
Local resident Sherlon Boota recounted waking to a startling scene: her entire residential yard was fully inundated by rising floodwater. While she has not faced critical disruptions to her own safety so far, Boota explained that many of her neighbors are trapped in their homes, unable to venture outside due to the high water levels. If the rainy conditions persist into the coming days, she warned, dozens of local households will be forced to abandon their properties and find emergency shelter in safer areas.
The flood damage is not limited to residential neighborhoods. Overflow from the Quebec River has left the main roadway connecting Islington and Port Maria nearly impossible to traverse, cutting off a key local travel artery. Albert Johnson, a local taxi operator who works the route, told reporters that drivers have been forced to reroute all trips onto the main highway, and will remain on the alternate path until water levels recede enough to declare the original road safe for use.
In the parish capital of Port Maria, the situation has brought regional travel to a near-standstill. With commuters scrambling to find shelter and all available public and private transportation halted, movement through the town has frozen. As of Thursday morning, emergency officials have not yet received reports of any injuries or casualties related to the flooding event.
Jamaica’s national Meteorological Service has issued an advisory urging all residents living in low-lying, flood-prone zones across the region to remain on high alert. Forecasters project that scattered showers and intermittent heavy rain will continue across the area through at least Friday, keeping flood risks elevated through the end of the workweek.