KINGSTON, Jamaica — The devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa has been confirmed by Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, who announced that four individuals have lost their lives in St Elizabeth due to the severe weather conditions. Earlier reports from Superintendent Coleidge Minto indicated that two bodies were found in Black River, St Elizabeth. However, Minister McKenzie later updated the death toll to four, comprising three men and one woman, all presumed to have been swept away by the storm-induced floodwaters. ‘These individuals appear to be direct victims of the hurricane,’ McKenzie stated, expressing hope for no further casualties. He emphasized the need for continued vigilance as the island remains under a flash flood watch, with the Meteorological Service predicting an additional three to six inches of rainfall. ‘Let us all be careful and do all we can to ensure that no more lives are lost,’ he urged.