Residents construct a makeshift bridge to cross the White River in Belvedere in Craig Hill, Portland. The bridge linking the community with other parts of Portland collapsed during heavy rains between Thursday and yesterday.

Portland community cut off after river washes away bridge

Diandra Grandison, Star Writer

Pig farmers in the marooned community of Belvedere in Craig Hill, Portland are fearful over the well-being of their livestock after heavy rains on Thursday caused a river to wash away the bridge linking farmers to the animals.

A farmer told THE STAR that ever since the heavy rains, which has caused the collapse of a bridge adjoining the communities of Belvedere and Whitehall to Buff Bay in the area, farmers have been unable to bring across feed to their pigs.

"Is about 1500-pigs we have over there and because the bridge gone we have no way of monitoring and bringing across the feed to the pigs, the feed is on Buff Bay side, waiting to come up," a farmer who goes by the moniker 'Playfair' told THE STAR.

But the well-being of the isolated pigs isn't the only concern of residents.

While speaking with THE STAR, residents were preparing to dare the torrential White River in an effort to transport a sick elderly woman to the Buff Bay Hospital for treatment.

"We are making a hammock to lift her and take her across the river, it's very dangerous but she is very ill and needs to see the doctor," a resident said.

Craig Hill residents are blaming the National Works Agency (NWA) for their predicament. The residents told THE STAR that they warned NWA workers about the method being used to repair the community's bridge.

"They said they plan to build a Bailey Bridge so they cut down the old bridge and move away the iron and didn't build a proper bypass," the resident continued "we warned them that once it rains it wouldn't take the water, just last week two culvert washed away during a light drizzle."

The National Works Agency (NWA) says due to the continuous rainfall they are unable to conduct the necessary work on the bridge and are currently waiting on the rain to seize and the flood waters to subside before any adjustments can be made.

The NWA is also urging motorists not to attempt to cross the flooded areas.