Peterkin wants Melbrook Heights road quickly reopened

A section of Melbrook Heights in Harbour View, St Andrew, has been blocked following a massive landslide resulting from yesterday's 5.6 magnitude earthquake.

Residents used pieces of tree branches to assist persons, especially children, to manoeuvre their way over huge rocks which fell from the hillside. When the news team arrived on the scene, a student, who appeared no older than eight years old, held tightly to an adult as she bravely made her way over the boulders.

Patrick Peterkin, People's National Party caretaker for East Rural St Andrew, implored the relevant authorities to act in a timely manner to clear the blocked roads in the area.

"It's a natural disaster and it's really unfortunate. We are really calling on local authorities to act as quickly as possible because the persons in this community are marooned. The persons who live on this side do not have access to go to their homes unless they climb over the rubble. The earthquake was long and traumatic and the people of Jamaica are blessed by God and we were spared and we are happy for that, but persons are still affected," he said.

Using heavy duty equipment, Peterkin said it could take as much as three days to clear the roadway.

"There are a little under 100 households on the other side of the rubble and it will affect everyone there, including schoolchildren," he said.

Peterkin said he was in court when he received a call from a resident that the hillside in Melbrook Heights had been torn down.

"But, honestly, I did not expect to see this. There was always a problem with this hillside whenever it rains and the rock would fall but today [yesterday], the residents are saying this is the worst that they have seen in their lives," Peterkin said.

One resident, Kerry-Ann Thomas, said she was forced to walk home because of the blocked road.

"There is no entrance nor entry by vehicle, so I had to walk more than half an hour to my house from the main road. Mi did panic bad when everything was happening but mi just thankful for life because it could have been worse," she said.

- S.M.L.