分类： society

WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — Dr. Dayton Campbell, Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Eastern, has issued a urgent call for his constituency to be declared a disaster area in the wake of the catastrophic destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, a Category Five storm. The hurricane has left a trail of devastation across the region, with Westmoreland Eastern bearing the brunt of the impact. Dr. Campbell revealed that out of the 19 fatalities reported islandwide, 10 occurred in his constituency. The scale of the damage is staggering, with an estimated 1,000 homes completely obliterated, leaving residents without shelter. Many board houses have been reduced to rubble, rendering them uninhabitable. The infrastructure has also been severely compromised, with roadways blocked and residents resorting to chainsaws and machetes to create single-lane access. Communication remains limited, and critical facilities such as schools, health centers, police stations, post offices, and petrol stations have sustained significant damage. Dr. Campbell emphasized the need for immediate assistance, urging the National Works Agency (NWA) to collaborate with contractors to clear the roads swiftly. He has been in contact with the Minister of Works, who has responded positively, but communication challenges have hindered outreach to the parish manager. Dr. Campbell stressed that his appeal is not politically motivated but a genuine plea for the suffering residents. He called for the declaration of a disaster area to mobilize emergency services and provide much-needed relief. Relief distribution centers have already been established at the Whitehouse Community Centre and in Darliston, with plans to expand to additional locations to distribute food and water to affected residents.

ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Mark Golding, the Leader of the Opposition, embarked on a comprehensive tour of St Elizabeth on Saturday to evaluate the extensive damage inflicted by Hurricane Melissa. Accompanied by local officials and emergency personnel, Golding visited both the north-eastern and south-western regions of the parish to gain firsthand insights into the destruction and to engage with affected residents. The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) Air Wing facilitated a courtesy flight, enabling Golding to survey the devastation from the air. The delegation landed at STETHS, where they were greeted by MP Zuleika Jess and Councillor Donovan Pagon, marking the beginning of their ground assessments. In Elim, Golding witnessed severe flooding and widespread damage to homes and farmlands. The Sydney Pagon STEM Academy’s agriculture department suffered significant losses, with all livestock destroyed. Later, Golding met with PNP Caretaker Miranda Wellington in Independence Park to inspect affected areas. He also visited critical institutions such as the Black River Police Station and Fire Department, where Assistant Superintendent Mark Edwards detailed the damage to their equipment, including a fire truck submerged up to its bonnet. During his visit, Golding held discussions with Police Commissioner Kevin Blake, Superintendent Minto, and Courtney King from CDEMA to address ongoing recovery challenges. ‘The devastation here is heartbreaking. People have lost homes, crops, and livelihoods. But I’ve also seen remarkable resilience among residents and first responders. They need immediate assistance, not promises,’ Golding remarked. He emphasized the urgency of equitable resource distribution, calling for national unity and swift action to aid recovery efforts.

When Hurricane Melissa unleashed its fury on Montego Bay, Shana-Lee Hull found herself in a life-or-death situation. As floodwaters surged into her Estuary home, she had mere seconds to act. Grabbing her four-year-old daughter, she forced open a door jammed by the weight of the rising water and fled through dense vegetation to higher ground. Hours later, she stood on a hill, watching helplessly as her home and vehicle were swallowed by the flood. ‘I lost everything,’ Hull told the Jamaica Observer on Thursday. ‘I’m standing here today, but I’m homeless.’ Hull is among over 100 residents displaced by the hurricane, which brought torrential rains and fierce winds to western Jamaica on Tuesday, rendering roads impassable and forcing families to abandon their homes. The nightmare began during the storm’s peak, as heavy rains battered Montego Bay. Hull recalled how, within minutes, her home was surrounded by water, and the pressure pinned her door shut. ‘I braced against the door, but it wouldn’t budge. It was only through sheer determination that I managed to open it,’ she said. Clutching her daughter, Hull fled as water rushed into her house. ‘Normally she doesn’t listen to me, but that day she did whatever I said,’ she recounted with a weary smile. Nineteen other residents escaped alongside her, helping each other navigate thorny bushes and climb to safety. However, when they turned back, the devastation was overwhelming. ‘I watched my entire house and vehicle disappear under the water,’ Hull said. Despite preparing for the storm with food and supplies, Hull was unprepared for the aftermath. She attributed the severity of the flooding to poor drainage and the overflow of a nearby pond. ‘The pond overflowed, and the water had nowhere to go but into our homes,’ she explained, appealing to the National Housing Trust (NHT) for urgent repairs. As Hull searches for shelter, her friend Kathy Campbell, a restaurant manager at Rainforest Seafood Market, has been leading relief efforts. ‘I’ve been cooking for displaced families since the storm,’ Campbell said. ‘We need food, water, and essential supplies.’ Both women are pleading for immediate assistance to help their community rebuild. For Hull, the memories of her escape remain vivid, and the thought of returning to her flooded home fills her with dread. ‘I would never want to sleep in that house again,’ she said.

In a heartwarming display of solidarity, US Olympian Noah Lyles, alongside his Lyles Brothers Sports Foundation, has extended a helping hand to the hurricane-ravaged community of Georges Valley in St Elizabeth, Jamaica. This initiative was particularly poignant as it targeted the hometown of Lyles’ fiancé, Junelle Bromfield, a fellow track and field athlete. The donation, comprising essential groceries and toiletries, was facilitated by retired Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell and his wife Alyshia, who were instrumental in packing and distributing the supplies. Powell, in a heartfelt video shared on his social media, emphasized the dire need for collective action, stating, ‘People are really suffering, as much as I can help, I will help.’ He further highlighted the importance of unity in these trying times, ‘The more people come together is the more people we can feed.’ Adding to the chorus of support, Orlando Bennett, a silver medalist in the 110m hurdles, also lent his voice to the cause, urging others to contribute to the relief efforts if possible. Bromfield, reflecting on her deep-rooted connection to the community, shared a video message expressing her desire to give back to the place that had supported her throughout her athletic journey. ‘The community was always helping me out, whether it was in high school to go to Penn Relays, they raised money, taking me to school for free… So I really wanted to give back,’ she said. The devastation wrought by Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that recently struck the southwest of Jamaica, has left St Elizabeth and its neighboring parishes in dire need of assistance. This collaborative effort by Lyles, Bromfield, Powell, and Bennett serves as a beacon of hope and a call to action for others to join in the recovery efforts.

TREASURE BEACH, St Elizabeth — In the aftermath of the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, the organizers of the Treasure Beach Food, Rum & Reggae Festival have decided to postpone this year’s event. The decision reflects the urgent need to focus on relief and rebuilding efforts in Treasure Beach and surrounding areas, which have been severely impacted by the storm.

ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — The aftermath of Hurricane Melissa has left a profound emotional toll on first responders in Black River, St. Elizabeth, as revealed in interviews conducted on Thursday. Many of these individuals, including firefighters, soldiers, and volunteers, expressed deep psychological scars from their experiences during the storm. Despite their training to manage high-stress situations, the intensity of the hurricane overwhelmed them, leaving many visibly shaken and reluctant to speak on record. Some simply shook their heads or buried their faces in their hands, unable to articulate the trauma they endured. Among those who spoke anonymously, the word ‘traumatized’ was repeatedly used to describe their state of mind. Firefighters Francis and Roach, who requested anonymity and that their faces not be shown, recounted harrowing tales of back-to-back rescues amidst the terror of surging floodwaters and relentless winds. Their accounts paint a vivid picture of the physical and emotional challenges faced by those on the front lines of disaster response. (Video: Dana Malcolm)

Western Jamaica remains in turmoil as fuel shortages persist in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, which struck the region earlier this week. Long queues of motorists formed at the few operational gas stations, with many expressing frustration over the prolonged wait times and limited supply. At Flamingo Gas Station in Trelawny, drivers recounted their struggles to find fuel, with some traveling past multiple closed stations before reaching one with available stock. Nicholas, a motorist from Ironshore, shared his ordeal, stating he had already passed four stations without success. Anthony, another driver, lamented waiting nearly an hour with little progress. Station staff also voiced their exasperation, citing a lack of discipline among the growing crowds. Meanwhile, business owners like Jason Cummings, managing director of Jascum Solutions Limited, emphasized the critical need for fuel to sustain operations, particularly for essential services like airport repairs. Similar scenes unfolded in Montego Bay, where reopened stations faced overwhelming demand, leading to tense confrontations among residents. The crisis highlights the broader challenges faced by communities in western Jamaica as they strive to recover from the hurricane’s devastation. Energy Minister Daryl Vaz announced measures to address the fuel shortage, including police escorts for tankers and uninterrupted loading operations at Petrojam, the state-owned refinery, to ensure islandwide distribution.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, a dedicated medical mission led by Dr. Alfred Dawes, the Opposition Spokesman on Health and Wellness, has brought critical support to the parishes of Hanover and Westmoreland. The initiative, launched on Saturday morning, aims to assist hospitals, healthcare workers, and residents severely impacted by the devastating storm. The 31-member team, which includes Dr. Katia Maria Aguilera, Head of the Cuban Medical Brigade, along with doctors, medical students, and nurses, has volunteered their time and expertise to address urgent medical needs. The mission is primarily focused on supporting the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital and the Noel Holmes Hospital, where they are providing essential services such as health checks, wound care, and general medical assistance. Additionally, the team is distributing vital supplies, including sterile gloves, disinfectants, repellents, feminine hygiene products, medication, and bottled water. If time allows, they plan to extend their efforts to reach isolated communities previously cut off by the storm. Dr. Dawes emphasized the mission’s dual purpose of action and compassion, stating, ‘Our healthcare workers and communities in the west have been under tremendous strain since Hurricane Melissa. Today, we’re bringing not just supplies, but hope and solidarity to those who need it most.’ He also highlighted the importance of collective effort in national recovery, noting, ‘We all have a role to play in helping each other and rebuilding our country. This mission is a reminder that when we come together across professions, communities, and borders, we can make a real difference.’ Dr. Dawes expressed gratitude to the volunteers and partners who made the initiative possible, adding that the team will continue to assess urgent healthcare needs in the affected areas and coordinate additional support in the coming days.