Fears mount in Kintyre as Sandy bears down

Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer

The intensity of the rains are increasing in the already fragile community of Kintyre in Eastern St Andrew and so are the fears of residents.

Their greatest worry is that they could, once again, be cut off as the link between Kintyre and the outside world, seems unable to withstand a ferocious weather system that threatens.

Even as the rains descend with increasing ferocity, the signs of the effects of past assaults on the community by the elements are there to see – deserted houses on the edge of the river banks.

But there are other houses a short distance from the river that are still occupied, even as men and women gaze at the rushing waters with grave expressions.

With brown water gushes down the river, Crystal a young woman with umbrellas in hand was among a group of people who stood on the ford on which they travel daily.

Crystal fears that the uneven surface of the narrow bridge on which she stands, already ravaged by previous rains, will be further devastated by the impending storm.

Crystal points to the a seemingly PVC pipeline across the fording that supplies water to the people of Kintyre and predicts that by later today, the pipeline will be no more.

The people of Kintyre echo Crystal apprehension that the nearby swinging bridge is likely to collapse as weather condition worsens.

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