分类： society

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastating passage through Jamaica, communication systems collapsed, leaving countless families isolated and desperate for news of their loved ones. On Wednesday, Jamaicans from across the island, including some from as far as Kingston, flocked to St Elizabeth in a determined effort to locate their relatives and assess the damage to their properties. The journey was fraught with challenges, as downed trees and power lines turned what should have been a 15-minute drive into a grueling five-hour ordeal. Among the travelers was an amputee known as ‘One Foot Carl,’ who, armed with a power saw and gasoline, joined a slow-moving caravan of vehicles to help clear the roads. Supported by his crutches, Carl worked alongside Jamaica Defence Force soldiers to remove blockades, demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of adversity. Another traveler, Jerome Steadman, made light of the situation, joking about his sister sharing the hurricane’s name. Despite a flat tire, Steadman remained undeterred in his mission to check on his home in Kingston, which he feared had been flattened by the storm. Stefan Wisdom, traveling with his infant son and Steadman, was also on a mission to salvage what remained of his house, which a friend had reported as destroyed. In Lacovia, residents recounted their harrowing experiences of battling the hurricane to preserve their lives and property. Mario White, who sheltered behind a single sheet of zinc for three hours, described how the storm forced him to retreat with his TV and medication as everything around him began to lift off. Omar Perry, another Lacovia resident, fought tirelessly to keep his front door from blowing off, only to find his partner’s shop flattened and carried across the road by the storm. Despite his exhaustion, Perry was determined to rebuild his roof to provide shelter for his family. Shantalea Kerr and her brother Shawn, who had evacuated their home fearing the storm’s strength, returned to find their family house leaning to the side, its roof gone. Shawn, who had sought refuge in a car during the storm, recounted how the wind had flipped open the car’s bonnet, cracking the windscreen. Despite the overwhelming destruction, the residents of St Elizabeth remained resolute, refusing to abandon their journey to access other affected areas like Holland Bamboo and Black River. Their determination and resilience in the face of such devastation serve as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Jamaican people.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s catastrophic impact on Jamaica, international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse has mobilized its disaster response teams and essential supplies to assist the island nation. The hurricane, one of the most powerful in recorded history, struck Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm with sustained winds reaching 185 miles per hour. Although it weakened to a Category 3 hurricane by the time it exited Jamaica’s northern coast and moved toward Cuba, the devastation left behind is immense.

Samaritan’s Purse has announced plans to airlift critical relief supplies from its headquarters in North Carolina to Jamaica. The aid package includes community water systems, shelter materials, solar lights, and medical equipment, all aimed at addressing the urgent needs of affected communities. Damion Tripp, the organization’s Medical Operations Manager, emphasized their preparedness in a recent Instagram post, stating, ‘We are loading a lot of tarp, non-food items to help the people of the area. We are also preparing supplies for our airlift programme. We ask that you pray for the people of Jamaica, their safety, health, and wellbeing.’

This initiative is part of Samaritan’s Purse’s ongoing commitment to disaster relief in the Caribbean. The organization has previously provided aid in The Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian and in Haiti after major earthquakes, demonstrating its capacity to respond swiftly to crises in the region. As Jamaica begins its recovery process, the support from Samaritan’s Purse is expected to play a vital role in rebuilding and restoring normalcy for those affected by the storm.

In the wake of the unprecedented devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, IsraAID, Israel’s foremost independent humanitarian organization, has swiftly launched an emergency response initiative. The Category 5 hurricane, the most powerful ever recorded in Jamaica and the region, made landfall in Black River, St. Elizabeth, on Tuesday, unleashing sustained winds of 185 mph, torrential rains, and a 10-foot storm surge. The storm wreaked havoc across the island’s southwestern coast, causing widespread destruction before weakening and moving northward.

Montego Bay, St James — Communities in Catherine Hall and Westgreen faced a daunting cleanup effort on Wednesday after Hurricane Melissa unleashed torrential rains and fierce winds on Tuesday. The storm caused the Barnett and Pye rivers to overflow, inundating homes with mud and water. Residents recounted harrowing experiences as they grappled with the aftermath.

Devon, a Catherine Hall resident, described the terrifying moment when floodwaters engulfed his home. ‘Everything was flooded,’ he lamented, noting that he narrowly escaped by climbing to an upper floor. The floodwaters, which rose higher than a person’s height, destroyed furniture and belongings before receding on Wednesday.

Another resident, who chose to remain anonymous, estimated that over 800 properties in Catherine Hall and Westgreen were affected. The cleanup process was further complicated by a lack of water, forcing residents to rely on a single pipe to wash mud from their homes and belongings.

The hurricane’s impact extended beyond residential areas. Vehicles were displaced by the floodwaters, with one car lodged against another and a trailer stuck against a median. The National Water Commission’s Bevin Avenue facility also suffered damage, as did the walls of the Catherine Hall Entertainment Centre, MegaMart complex, and Grand Depot Supermarket.

Herbert Morrison Technical High School, a 49-year-old institution, was not spared. Sections of its roof were torn off, and a nearby road was compromised. Utility poles along Alice Eldemire Drive were downed, adding to the widespread destruction.

As residents worked tirelessly to restore their homes and lives, the scale of Hurricane Melissa’s devastation became increasingly apparent. The storm’s aftermath highlighted the urgent need for resources and support to aid recovery efforts in Montego Bay.

Montego Bay, St James, witnessed scenes of desperation and disorder on Thursday as a limited number of operational petrol stations faced overwhelming demand from residents and motorists. Many individuals, carrying containers, flocked to these stations in a bid to secure petrol or diesel, essential for maintaining daily activities. One resident highlighted the critical need for gasoline to power generators, which have become indispensable in their daily lives. ‘Without the gas, we don’t have any light and ting,’ she remarked. Tensions escalated at a Union Street gas station, where disputes nearly turned violent as people vied for their share of the scarce resource. ‘All machete people draw because a the gas thing,’ a witness recounted to Observer Online. By late afternoon, long queues persisted at locations like the Thrifty Gas Station in Rose Hall, as individuals waited patiently to fill their vehicles and containers.

Major Desmon Brown, General Manager of Independence Park, has announced that Jamaica’s National Stadium incurred only minor damage following the onslaught of Hurricane Melissa. The Category 5 hurricane, which struck the island on Tuesday with winds reaching 185 miles per hour, caused widespread devastation across several communities and severely impacted national infrastructure. However, an initial assessment of the National Stadium revealed limited harm, primarily involving broken windows and a malfunctioning well pump. Brown emphasized that a detailed review is still underway to evaluate the full extent of the damage. The National Arena, which served as a temporary shelter for 113 to 166 individuals during the storm, has since been vacated. Brown expressed concern about the inability to assess damage at Trelawny Stadium due to communication challenges. Despite these issues, he expressed relief that the National Stadium’s field remains largely intact, a critical factor as Jamaica prepares to host its final World Cup qualifier against Curaçao on November 18. The US National Hurricane Center reported that Hurricane Melissa made landfall on Jamaica’s southwest coast, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

PARIS, France — World Athletics, the global governing body for track and field, disclosed on Thursday that former employees had embezzled over €1.5 million ($1.7 million) in what it termed a case of ‘systematic theft.’ The organization has provided comprehensive evidence to judicial and legal authorities to facilitate a criminal investigation. The scandal led to the termination of a consultant and an employee, while another implicated staff member had already departed before the misconduct was discovered. President Sebastian Coe emphasized the organization’s commitment to transparency and accountability, pledging to employ ‘the full force of the law’ to reclaim the stolen funds. Coe criticized the common practice of concealing such incidents, asserting that World Athletics prioritizes integrity and good governance, even in uncomfortable situations.