|
Press Releases
September 2008
“GRUESOME GUSTAV”
By Corporal Joseph Lewis
Headquarters Jamaica Defence Force (Civil Military Co-operation) With gusty winds and heavy rainfall, Tropical Storm Gustav made its way on the shores of Jamaica on Thursday 28 August 2008. It was obvious that many Jamaicans did not take the storm warning seriously and as usual were reluctant to leave their homes for safer areas.  Residents look on at the collapsed Hope River Bridge in
Harbour View which gave way to Gustav’s onslaught But the Jamaica Defence Force did not leave anything to chance. As early as Wednesday morning members of 1 Engineer Regiment (JDF), were seen battening down windows and doors of essential buildings in Up Park Camp. Checks revealed that there was minimal damage in Up Park Camp but many Jamaicans were left without a home as they were washed away by the gruesome flood waters. As usual, the Jamaica Defence Force Air Wing was kept busy conducting Search and Rescue operations across the Island.  Soldiers from 1 Engr Regt (JDF) getting ready to batten up windows of a building in the base of Up Park Camp. They had to airlift supplies to persons that were marooned and could not get to their regular food supplies. “The JDF AW has been doing a lot of reconnaissance of flood areas in Spanish Town, St Thomas and Portland,” said Lieutenant Noel Lewis, Operations Officer JDF AW. He further stated that the JDF AW has been doing a lot of power line reconnaissance for the Jamaica Public Service Company. The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) said they were also active as they opened approximately 95 shelters where a total of 1823 persons were housed. The Eastern and Southern sections of the Island suffered the most as Tropical Storm crawled slowly across the Island. By moving at such a slow pace Gustav took its time to thoroughly pound the Island with heavy rainfall and caused major flooding and landslides. So intense was the rainfall of Tropical Storm Gustav that it caused section of the Hope River Bridge at Harbour View to collapse.  Representatives from different units at the JDF Operations Room monitoring Tropical Storm Gustav. This prevented many persons, including members of the JDF from making it back to the base at Up Park Camp. One soldier who actually made it across explained. “In order for me to get to work I had to risk my life to cross the Hope River to get a vehicle,” said Private Kirk Jeffery of the Support and Services Battalion. The Engineer Regiment has since been instrumental in constructing a bailey bridge across the Hope River Bridge to allow commuters to get into Kingston. With Gustav out of the way, the Island is now keeping on eye on another Hurricane, Hanna. Hopefully it will not further devastate the island. |