In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that devastated Belmont, Westmoreland, three helicopters brought much-needed relief supplies to the community on Sunday. The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) provided two of the helicopters, while the third was dispatched by World Central Kitchen, delivering essential food items. The helicopters landed at Belmont Academy, a central location between Whitehouse and Bluefields, offering a beacon of hope to residents left homeless by the disaster.
Keisha Rowe, a local resident and employee at Belmont Academy, expressed her gratitude for the timely assistance. ‘We are happy for the help, and there is more to come. Many people here don’t have anywhere to live. A lot of people are homeless, so we are glad for the help, and I am happy that it came fast enough,’ she said.
Wayne Smith, a visually impaired man, shared his harrowing experience, noting that his house had lost its roof, forcing him and his wife to seek shelter elsewhere. ‘It’s real critical, it’s not normal…I am not speaking for myself alone, because I can’t move about like that, but I still have to try to bounce around,’ he explained. Smith, like many others, had been listening for the sound of helicopters, hoping for the arrival of supplies. ‘Today we heard the helicopter, and I said, ‘I am going up there,’ and when I went, I got through right away—flour, rice, sugar, everything in there,’ he recounted.
Carly Wilson, a visitor from Missouri, USA, whose husband is from Belmont, described the emotional toll of witnessing the community’s struggles. ‘This is a very emotional experience, seeing everybody struggle. The people desperately need help,’ she said. Wilson has been actively coordinating with donor organizations to bring additional aid to the area. She highlighted the immediate need for drinking water, as burst pipes have contaminated the local water supply. ‘Unfortunately, there is no drinking water in these combo packs. We need drinking water in this community as soon as possible,’ she emphasized.
The relief efforts have brought smiles to many, including five-year-old Travis Miller and Belmont resident Nickashai Samuels, who, along with her partner Rodney Walker and their one-year-old son Duke, received care packages from the JDF helicopters. The community remains hopeful as more organizations commit to joining the relief distribution efforts.