‘No rain, but we’re drowning’ - Blocked gully dumps water, dead animals in Seaview Gardens

For two weeks, blocked drains have forced grimy water onto the main road in Seaview Gardens, St Andrew, creating an impassable mess for motorists and pedestrians.

This isn't just water--it's a foul mix of debris, decay, and the stench of waste, attracting swarms of mosquitoes and rodents, making daily life unbearable for nearby residents and passersby.

Rochelle Lemon, a distressed resident, shared with THE STAR that she and her neighbours are pleading with authorities to step in.

"The entire situation is disturbing," Lemon said. "A lot of times rain don't fall in Seaview and the place flood out. We don't want any casualties so I am begging the Government to help," she added.

Other Seaview Gardens residents are equally desperate for the gully running through their community and into the sea to be cleaned immediately. They believe the flooding is caused by a heavy build-up of silt, blocking the waterway and forcing water and piles of garbage, including dead animals, into their neighbourhood.

"Something needs to be done because it stinks down here. Yesterday at least two dead dogs were washed up on the road. The place stink bad and right now a just dead we left to dead from germs. The cars dem a mash up and nobody cant walk on the road again because dem foot will drop off or broke from germs or with the big hole dem in the road," one resident said angrily.

Another resident expressed her frustration, recounting that the road was flooded on Wednesday.

"Since week, not a drop a rain no fall but it was like a ocean the way the place full a water. Imagine sun a shine and the entire place flood. More time not even the small bus dem can pass the way the water level high and no rain nah fall a Seaview. Uptown people dem garbage a kill we down here," she said.

Anthony Hylton, Member of Parliament for the area, described the conditions as "ghastly" and "inappropriate." Hylton said he is in discussions with the National Works Agency (NWA) to address the issue.

"The situation at Chesterfield is worse, and when they were doing that bypass road it was an emergency because of the bottlenecks in Three Miles. When they reached a section I told them that the culvert was too small because it was going to constantly overflow, but I was ignored. They said it was temporary, and temporary in Jamaica sometimes becomes permanent," he explained.

Expressing his frustration, Hylton admitted he feels helpless, given his limited resources.

"It is really frustrating, and I have even asked for the road to be patched in the meantime. I want to tell the community that I feel their pain and I understand it, but my hands are tied at the moment. We are aware and want it to be resolved. I saw everything there, and it's ghastly. I am frustrated by it because we have been at it constantly," he added.

Hylton also spoke about the need for a system to clean the debris clogging the drains.

"We have had discussions where they would come in with a length man system. I had identified someone and suggested that he was given a stipend to just clean what he can. The entire thing is undersized, so the water can flow but it is not just water but old fridge, stove, and everything coming down in it. I am upset about it, and it really is a mess," he said.