Persons were left homeless and others jobless as flood waters damaged property and infrastructure in the western section of the island. The police stations as well as they newsrooms got hundreds of calls detailing the damage acoss the three parishes. The cost of the damage was estimated to be millions of dollars.

Published Wednesday, June 13, 1979

Floods ravage W. Jamaica

-Sangster Airport forced to close

-10 Inches of Rain in Montego Bay

- Damage to run into millions

FLOOD RAINS ravaged the western section of the island yesterday, forcing the closure of the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay and causing damage expected to run into millions of dollars.

The Met Office reported late last night that over 10 inches of rain had fallen in Montego Bay between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

The tropical depression, which has intensified the continuous rainfall over the past eight days, was reported to be 110 miles west of Negril Point at 6 o’clock yesterday evening.

According to the Met Office, “Very heavy showers with resultant flooding in most parishes are expected to continue today in most parishes.  Maximum winds of the depression continue to be about 30 miles per hour in squalls to the east of the centre with no significant change in its movement or strength expected within the next 18 hours.”

A mounting toll of disaster and unconfirmed reports of drowning were  flooding the police radio room in Montego Bay up to late yesterday evening, attesting to the savagery of yesterday’s rains, which many reports likened to the Flora flood rains.

The parishes of Westmoreland and Hanover, according to the Gleaner’s Western Bureau, were the worst hit.  Damage is expected to run into millions of dollars, the Bureau said as it told about widespread flooding, persons being marooned, and toiling policemen and firemen caught up in rescue missions.

Flights redirected

As the rains hammered down yesterday, flights into and out of the Sangster International Airport were redirected at midday into Kingston, throwing passenger service into chaos.

“It is terrible" was the report of airport manager Mr Rom Smellie to the Gleaner some five hours later.  “The drainage to the sea is going full blast, but it just cannot cope with the water.”

The runway, which is specially constructed to allow water to run off, was standing up well, he said.  By 7.45 p.m., he was ordering the airport closed until noon today when the situation would be reassessed.

“It is the worst rain that I have seen in 20 years,” Mr Smellie commented.

“A boat can use Great George Street.” That was how Mr Karam Josephs, a Savanna-la-Mar businessman. described it.

In a plea for help to the Gleaner, he reported: “The entire Westmoreland flats flooded … the whole area is a disaster area, places flooded; worst rains in 30 or 40 years.”

A check with the Met Office last night revealed that over 10 inches of rain had fallen in Montego Bay and just over 5 inches in Kingston between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. yesterday.

Following are some reports from the Bureau and some correspondents on yesterday’s rains:

Reports reaching the Gleaner are that Westmoreland and Hanover are the worst hit.  In Kingswood, Westmoreland, a number of people were flooded out of their homes and the Westmoreland Fire Department had to be called in to assist the police in rescuing people from their flooded homes. Several roads in that parish were under water and people had to seek shelter wherever they were marooned.  A temporary shelter was provided at the Anglican Church Hall by Councillor Pearl McKoy and the acting secretary for the Westmoreland Parish Council Mrs M. Sloley-Collins.

Landslides in Hanover

In Hanover, landslides blocked main roads going into Lucea, and Haughton Gardens and Riley Bridge were under water, forcing residents in those areas to abandon their homes.

Many areas of St James were inaccessible as the roads were either under water or blocked by landslips.

In Montego Bay, the parish capital, flood water swept through the town, washing away many of the frail houses in the Flankers and Canterbury areas.

Vehicles stalled on all streets, and one group of travellers told the Gleaner that it took them two and a half hours from the Sangster Airport to the Bay Roc Hotel, a journey that normally takes about five minutes.

Stores looted, confusion

Their car stalled three times and they eventually had to beg a lift from a passing van to finish their journey.

Raging floodwaters gushed through some stores and damaged them and looters moved in the confusion, one report said.

The road leading from Montego Bay to Falmouth was under several inches of water and littered with stalled cars.

In Montego Bay, the creek overflowed over the bridge on Creek Street.  Records at the Montego Bay Court Office were washed away when water burst into the office and washed away most of what was inside.

People were stranded all over the town last night and unable to reach their homes as the heavy rains pelted the town.

Trains affected

Trains operating in and out of Montego Bay were also affected as sections of the tracks were either washed out or blocked by debris.  Public transport – buses, taxis, and  buses – were badly hit by the downpour.  Small boys did a thriving business pushing stalled vehicles.

Tourists from Negril and other areas who were unable to depart by Air Jamaica from Sangster Airport yesterday are to have the life of their tickets extended by the airline without extra charge to them, the airline said.

Many schools were forced to close early, but many business offices were still occupied last night by workers who were unable to go home after work.

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