Jamaica: Macro-Socio-Economic and Environmental Assessment of ...

The housing stock is relatively sturdy with 58 percent of dwelling structures being built of block
and steel and 26 percent of wood. The regional distribution for 2002, suggests that block and
steel is the preferred construction material for dwellings in the KMA accounting for 61 percent
of the units, and 58 percent and 53 percent in Other Towns and Rural Areas respectively. The
majority of dwellings units in Jamaica, 82 percent are categorized as separate/detached houses.
In the Rural Areas, 93 percent fell in this category, in the Other Towns, 87 per cent and the KMA
60 percent. Unfortunately, most of the damaged properties were not covered by insurance,
leaving the burden for repair and replacement to that of the owner. (See maps produced by the
PIOJ for a spatial distribution of the characteristics of the housing stock in the most affected
parish, in the following pages)
Table 2-2
Damage and losses caused by hurricane Ivan on the Housing Sectors of Jamaica ($million)
Location Damage and Losses Reconstruction Costs Imported Component
Item Total Direct Indirect
Dwellings
9 151.1 9151.1
House Furnishings 1323.1 1323.1
Removal of Debris 89.1 89.1
Relocation Costs 600.0 600.1
13998.6 3202.9
463.1
Total 11 163.3 10474.2 689.1 13998.6 3666.0
Source: Estimates by ECLAC on basis of official information
Total damage to the housing sectors amounted to $ 11 163 million. Of this figure, direct damage
to dwellings and furnishings accounted for some $10 474 million or 93 percent of the cost. The
indirect loss represents the cost of removal of debris and the relocation of certain communities 6
such as Rocky Point and Portland Cottage that were in extremely vulnerable environments. The
indirect loss was thus estimated at $ 689 million. Reconstruction with some improvements to
reduce vulnerability amounts to $ 13 998. (See Table 2.2)
12