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

Portland Cottage experienced the most extensive, dramatic and devastating effect of storm surge
and wave inundation. This low- lying settlement in the salt marsh is a classic example of the
consequences of the inappropriate siting of settlements, and the need for well-informed zoning
and rigid enforcement by government authorities.
Slope failure was marked especially in the lower southern areas of the Blue Mountains, and
along the central mountain axis Extensive landslides, debris flows and mudslides caused major
damage to farms, housing, roads, water distribution lines, and electricity and telecommunications
networks. Blocked and broken roads disrupted access to several communities for in excess of
two weeks in some instances.
In addition the material moved downslope to river channels where the capacity to carry runoff
was greatly reduced by the increased load and deposit in the channel. Housing on marginal
hillsides faced collapse and inappropriate clearing of unstable slopes damaged and/or threatened
houses downslope.
Soil erosion in the hilly areas caused loss to agriculture, forest stands, and buildings, and
contributed to extremely high levels of turbidity in surface runoff. This turbidity compromised
water supply necessitating closure of treatment works and high application of flocculants for
settling.
River bank erosion and collapse occurred in some areas, but was particularly marked in the Hope
River Valley where extensive settlements (legal and squatter) occupy the banks and terraces of
the river below Papine and August Town in northeastern St Andrew. In the gorge of the Rio
Cobre, a major north south transportation artery, scouring of the banks undercut the road, which
was also affected by landslide and rockfall. Devastating inland flooding occurred mainly in
solution depressions although there was some ponding and floodplain inundation.
b) Losses
Losses to forestry, beaches, road network, water supply and sewage systems, utility
infrastructure, agriculture, tourism, fisheries, and mining exports can be attributed to
environmental damage. These are indicated in Table 5-1. The washout of sanitation systems can
be considered losses as well as indirect consequences. The implications for environmental health
and the cost for remedial and preventative action is perhaps best captured as indirect loss.
Damage (landslides and siltation) to water intakes, flooding of works, turbidity levels, washout
of mains, blocked access to works all contributed to losses in the water sector.
Indirect losses can also be associated with the need for increased applications of fertilizers on
eroded soils, retention structures on failed slopes, sea defences on eroding shorelines, drain
cleaning and desilting of river channels from eroded soils, and solid waste collection of detritus
generated by hurricane damage. Landfill capacity has been reduced and the projections for
accommodating waste will need to be re-examined.
Potential long-term effects have been described for the island’s ecology with particular reference
to Shoreline Protection, Fisheries and Parks and Protected Areas.
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