Residents keep watchful eye on Big Pond in St Catherine

On-edge residents of Bannister, Red Ground and surrounding communities of St Catherine are hoping there is no more rain this weekend amid fears of flooding at Big Pond.

On Saturday morning, water in the pond was close to the roadway and there were signs of earlier flooding.

"Yesterday into last night it flooded the road and no vehicle could venture, but it has receded this morning and thankfully the road is now passable," Marcus Williams, a taxi operator, said.

For many years businesses, residents and taxi operators have suffered the inconvenience of the road being blocked when it rains.

The Jamaica Social Investment Fund undertook a $245 million project to curtail the perennial flooding of the Big Pond and things have reportedly improved.

"The water move faster due to work which was done on the Mighton Gully, where the channel has been widened to carry the water to the sea," Melbourne Gentles, a resident, said.

However, residents say whenever there is a report of impending rain, the community is in a state of panic as it is still possible that the pond will overflow.

-Rasbert Turner

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