Lucea councillor raises concerns about flooding caused by bamboo plants

Christopher Bodden, Gleaner Writer

HANOVER:

Councillor of the Lucea Division, Neville Clare, says he is concerned about the continued flooding in Lucea due to fallen bamboo plants that often become lodged at the Riley Bridge.

Clare said the bamboo plants which fall into the river are washed downstream and impede the flow of water. He said this causes the water to overflow into the streets and blocks the intersection, which is the main point of exit and entry to Lucea.

"This is no good for the travelling public, which is inconvenienced at times," Clare told Western Focus. "It is the responsibility of the National Works Agency (NWA) to clear the blockages as they occur.

"It is both a combination of natural occurrence as well as human intervention when the bamboo ends up in the river," said Clare. "Another part of the problem is that the river needs to be dredged as well."

In July, NWA parish manager for Hanover, Wayne Cover, said delayed procurement caused setbacks in plans to clean the Lucea West River prior to the June 1 start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.

In mid-September, a back-up of bamboo at the Riley Bridge following heavy rains in the hills resulted in Lucea becoming flooded, and sections of the town in the vicinity of the main arterial road were left impassable.

The flooding also resulted in a back-up of traffic from Lucea to as far as Sandy Bay, and many commuters, including schoolchildren, had to wait for several hours before being able to reach their destinations.