Two cars swept away; one woman missing, another rescued

The Jamaica Fire Brigade received an emergency call at approximately 3:37 pm reporting the incident. A crew of firefighters from the Linstead station responded to the scene. 

Upon arrival, the brigade was informed by residents and police officers that two vehicles had been caught in the swollen fording and dragged away by the current.

The fire team immediately launched a search and rescue operation and successfully located both submerged vehicles –  a silver Toyota Fielder motor car and a white Toyota Probox. 

According to information received from the police, a female occupant of the Toyota Probox was pulled from the water by quick-thinking residents and rushed to Linstead Hospital for medical attention. Her condition is not yet known.

However, a grim reality is setting in for one family. Mr. Clive Barrett told authorities that his wife, 63-year-old Rhona Barrett, was the occupant of the silver Fielder at the time of the incident. She is currently missing.

A coordinated search and rescue mission involving firefighters, police officers, and local residents was undertaken but has since been suspended due to worsening conditions at the scene as heavy rain continues to pound the area.

Meanwhile, authorities have confirmed that the Bog Walk Gorge and the Flat Bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic due to rising flood waters as a result of the persistent heavy rainfall.

The public is advised to use alternate routes where possible and to exercise extreme caution near fordings, rivers, and flood-prone areas. Motorists are urged never to attempt to cross flooded roadways.

A broad trough of low pressure across the western Caribbean. 

Has brought unstable weather pattern across the island bringing showers and thunderstorms to most parishes, persisting into the weekend.

The Old Harbour News will continue to follow this developing story and provide updates as more information becomes available.