Hurricane Melissa devastates Jamaica, leaving homes roofless and communities in St. Ann and Trelawny without power after 185mph winds battered the island
Hurricane Melissa devastates Jamaica, leaving widespread destruction, power outages and despair across the northern parishes after the island was struck by one of the most powerful storms in its history.
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In the parish of St. Ann, nearly all residents are without electricity, and many awoke to find their homes without roofs after Melissa tore through on Tuesday evening, downing trees, utility poles and anything in its path.
Fisherman George “Larry” Brown, 68, of Priory said the morning had been deceptively calm. “Just a little rain,” he recalled. But by 5:00 p.m., the quiet turned violent. “I just heard a sound, and it just started to tear off,” he said, describing the moment his roof was ripped away.
Brown, who has lived through several major storms, said Melissa was the worst he has ever experienced.
“Gilbert is no match to this,” he said, referring to the infamous 1988 hurricane that many Jamaicans use as their measure of devastation.
Meteorologists recorded Hurricane Melissa as a top-level Category 5 storm, with sustained winds reaching 185 miles (300 kilometres) per hour, tying a 1935 record for the most intense storm ever to make landfall in the region.
Neighbour Kayan Davis, a mother of three, said her roof lifted off around 11:00 p.m., leaving her temporarily homeless. “I have nowhere to sleep… I am going to have to contact the authorities,” she said.
Another resident, Marvin Thomas, a janitorial worker, watched helplessly as a tree crushed his home. “The tree dropped… and the housetop started to demolish,” he said. “I had to run out and go to a friend’s home.” Thomas said he now faces the daunting task of rebuilding. “Money is not at one place. I have to go out there to hunt now, to try to rebuild up myself.”
In Trelawny, just west of St. Ann, similar scenes unfolded. Sandra Scott, a security supervisor from Salt Marsh, said floodwaters damaged her roof and fence.
“We had to use sandbags and sheets to prevent the water from coming in,” she said.
The parish also saw severe infrastructure damage, including to William Knibb High School, the alma mater of Olympic legend Usain Bolt.
Parish police chief Velonique Campbell led a team of officers wielding machetes and chainsaws to clear blocked roadways.
“Quite a few trees have been displaced on the main road. We want to ensure it’s clear for aid and supplies,” she explained.
Further south, in Bog Walk, bar owner Maureen Samuels said she narrowly escaped disaster when a large tree fell just inches from her business. “Thanks be to God the bar wasn’t damaged,” she said.
But others nearby weren’t as fortunate, with floodwaters from the Rio Cobre damaging several homes and farms.
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As the cleanup begins, Jamaicans across the island are counting their losses and clinging to gratitude. “We have been affected badly,” Samuels said, her voice weary but resolute.
