Section of New Road to Nonsuch roadway in Portland being blocked by landslide

Intermittent overnight showers have rendered the main thoroughfare from New Road to Nonsuch via Lydarth in Portland impassable due to a massive landslide.

The blocked roadway has halted vehicular traffic and restricted the movement of residents, including teachers, students, and farmers.

One resident, Samuel Barrett, said it was the stillness of the morning that first caught his attention, as the usual sound of vehicles moving to and fro was noticeably absent on Wednesday.

"So I thought it was a holiday, but then I said it's Wednesday and school a keep," commented Barrett.

"So when I came up on the road to see what was happening I realise there was a massive landslide up the road. A mini pick-up truck was facing the blocked area, and I know that the driver lives beyond the roadblock. No vehicle can go in and none can come out," he added.

This morning, people were seen walking toward the landslide from as far as Lydarth, a community located approximately a mile away.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for East Portland, Ann-Marie Vaz, said in a statement Wednesday indicated that heavy-duty equipment has been mobilised to assist in clearing the blocked roadway.

- Gareth Davis Snr

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