At least 40 people have been taken into custody hours after a state of emergency was imposed in St. Catherine, Jamaica.

The state of emergency took effect at midnight.

Our newscentre understands that the detainees are being held at the Spanish Town Prison Oval.

The men were picked up in sections of St. Catherine including St. Johns Road, Jones Avenue, Old Harbour Road and Homestead.

A large detachment of soldiers is in those areas at this hour.

Meanwhile, some St. Catherine residents have welcomed the state of emergency but are questioning why operations are not being conducted in the volatile Gravel Heights and Tredegar Park communities.

The Prime Minister Bruce Golding yesterday announced that a State of Public Emergency is necessary for St. Catherine.

It will last for 30 days.

The state of emergency in St Catherine is needed for the security forces to deal with the soaring murder tally in that parish, said Prime Minister Bruce Golding.

According to Golding, for the first five months of this year there were 168 murders in St Catherine up from 110 for the first five months of 2009.

He says in recommending that the Governor General proclaim a state of emergency for St Catherine, the Cabinet took careful note of the murder figures as well as the advice of the police.

The Parliament has also granted an extension of the state of emergency for Kingston and St Andrew until July 22