Hurricane Melissa has devastated the north coast parish of St. Ann, leaving residents in crisis. Nearly all homes and businesses are without power.
Tragically, many citizens woke up to find their roofs gone. Melissa tore through Jamaica, destroying utility poles, felling trees, and leveling everything in its path.
Priory Residents Detail the Storm’s Ferocity
Fisherman George “Larry” Brown, 68, lives in Priory. He described the morning of the storm as deceptively peaceful. “Just a little rain,” he recalled.
However, the weather changed drastically by 5:00 pm on Tuesday. The rain intensified and strong wind gusts started howling. Soon, his roof began to peel off. “I just heard a sound, and it just started to tear off,” Brown stated.
Brown stressed that Melissa was the worst storm he had ever endured. He said Hurricane Gilbert, the 1988 benchmark for destruction, was “no match to this.”
Melissa struck the island as a fierce, top-tier storm. It delivered sustained winds peaking near 300 kilometers per hour. Furthermore, the hurricane drenched the nation with torrential rain.
Hurricane Melissa Leaves Families Temporarily Displaced
The sheer intensity of Hurricane Melissa tied a historic record. Meteorological data confirms it matched the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane as the most intense storm to make landfall. This highlights the severity of the damage.
Brown’s neighbor, Kayan Davis, is a mother of three. Her roof was ripped off sometime after 11:00 pm. Consequently, she is now temporarily homeless. “I have no where to sleep… I am going to have to contact the authorities,” Davis explained.
Another Priory resident, Marvin Thomas, suffered a similar fate. A tree crashed onto his home around 8:00 pm. “The tree dropped… and the housetop started to demolish,” said Thomas, a 40-year-old janitorial worker. He was forced to flee to a friend’s residence.
Therefore, finding money to rebuild is a major obstacle for Thomas. “I have to go out there to hunt now, to try to rebuild up myself,” he admitted.
Clearing Roadways in Trelawny Following Hurricane Melissa
Stories of destruction were echoed in the neighboring parish of Trelawny. Security supervisor Sandra Scott shared her experience in Salt Marsh. She reported high water levels that damaged her home’s roof membrane and fence. Scott and others used makeshift methods, including sandbags, to keep water out.
The hurricane also caused extensive infrastructure damage. Police Chief Velonique Campbell reported damage to William Knibb High School. This school is famous as the alma mater of Usain Bolt. Campbell and 30 officers used chainsaws and machetes to clear major blockages. She emphasized the need to keep main roads open for aid and supplies.
Mixed Fortunes in Bog Walk
In the town of Bog Walk, bar owner Maureen Samuels had a lucky escape. She breathed a sigh of relief when a huge tree missed her establishment by mere inches. “I came here this morning and saw what happened, thanks be to God the bar wasn’t damaged,” she said.
However, others nearby were less fortunate. Samuels noted that the Rio Cobre river overflowed its banks. This damaged several properties, including her friend’s hog farm. “We have been affected badly,” she concluded. The widespread impact of the storm continues to affect communities.
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