assessment of the socio-economic and environmental impact

Kingston, St. Thomas St. Elizabeth are below the 10 metre threshold and are therefore prone to
flooding.
Building Practices and Standards. Planning and design defects were contributory factors cited
in the damage to housing in Rocky Point, Clarendon, Portland Cottage, Clarendon, Old Harbour,
St. Catherine and White Horses, St. Thomas. In the past, building practices incorporated more
mitigation measures to withstand wind and flood impact. Older buildings were likely to be built
on stilts with a finish ground levels of >2ft above ground level compared with newer buildings
with a finish of < 1 ft above ground level (Figure 1.7).
Coastal Roads. A common feature of coastal roads in Jamaica is that they are constructed in low
lying areas and are therefore prone to flooding and subsequent damage. As a consequence, roads
such as Roselle and Palisadoes have been subjected to frequent. Coastal roads should be
engineered with adequate height (above sea level), drainage, central slope and protective
structures to minimize effects from coastal hazards.
Coastal Ecosystems. Coastal ecosystems not only play an ecological role but they provide
habitat for many commercial species and other marine organisms and acts as sediment traps and
buffers to reduce storm surge. The coastal ecosystems are being frequently impacted by storm
events. Within the last five years more than five storms have affected these ecosystems, two of
which have been intense hurricanes. Hence, they have had little time to recover which makes
them quite vulnerable. The continued loss of these ecosystems has increased the vulnerability of
coastal areas and infrastructure and threatens one of the country’s main industries, tourism.
Rehabilitative and protective measures are therefore important to preserve these ecosystems.
81