Prime Minister Andrew Holness has indicated that the preliminary cost for repairs to the country’s road network is $10.25 billion.
Mr. Holness gave the figure while speaking in parliament on Tuesday afternoon.
He noted that based on reports from the National Works Agency (NWA), over 500 roads were impacted during the passage of Hurricane Beryl.
Meantime, as of this afternoon, the number of roadways impacted in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl has increased to 529.
The NWA says this is over 50 more roadways than the figure reported 24 hours ago.
The agency’s Communication and Customer Services Manager, Stephen Shaw, says despite the increase in reports, 95% of the road sections have been re-opened to at least single-lane access.
He says 47% of the roadways are fully re-opened and 48% have single lane access. Only 24 roads remain impassable.
The blocked roadways are in St. James, Hanover, St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, Kingston and St. Andrew and St. Thomas.
The NWA says the blocked thoroughfares are the result of major landslides, breakaways, washed-out fords, and fallen Jamaica Public Service (JPS)poles.
The agency hopes to have at least three of the roadways, that are still impassable, re-opened in the next 24 hours. These roads are being impacted by fallen JPS poles.