标签： Jamaica

The historic town of Falmouth in Jamaica has suffered catastrophic damage following the onslaught of Hurricane Melissa, a category five storm that struck the island on Tuesday. Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie revealed the extent of the destruction during a media briefing on Friday, after finally establishing contact with Falmouth Mayor Colin Gager. The mayor’s report painted a grim picture of the devastation, describing widespread destruction of key infrastructure and public facilities. Among the severely damaged structures are the municipal building, infirmary, courthouse, fire station, and markets. The drop-in center, which served as a shelter during the hurricane, was flooded and rendered unusable. Similar destruction was reported in other parishes, including St James and St Elizabeth, where municipal buildings, infirmaries, and fire stations were also heavily impacted. Communication remains a critical issue in the five worst-hit parishes—St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, St James, Trelawny, and Hanover—with authorities planning to deploy Starlink technology to restore connectivity. Additionally, the hurricane has severely disrupted the revenue base of municipal corporations, prompting an urgent assessment to mitigate the financial fallout.

In a heartbreaking incident in Trelawny, Jamaica, one man has lost his life, and another is fighting for survival after inhaling toxic fumes from a standby generator. The deceased, identified as 40-year-old Gayon Dunbar, resided in Carey Park, Trelawny. The tragic event unfolded on Wednesday night when Dunbar and his companion were sleeping inside a furniture shop on 85 Market Street, Falmouth. Unbeknownst to them, the generator was operating within the confined space, leading to the fatal exposure. Early Thursday morning, a concerned friend discovered the two men in distress and rushed them to the Falmouth Public General Hospital. Dunbar was pronounced dead upon arrival, while his friend remains in critical condition. The community is in shock, mourning the loss of Dunbar, described as a quiet and hardworking individual who was a baker by profession and a devoted father of five. His sister, Cordia Moulton, expressed her grief, stating she is unable to break the news to their mother, who is currently a patient at the same hospital. Residents of 85 Market Street, also known as ‘Ghetto,’ are devastated, remembering Dunbar as a kind and helpful neighbor. The incident has left the community grappling with the sudden loss and the dangers of improper generator usage.

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastating impact on Jamaica on October 28, Energy Minister Daryl Vaz has expressed growing frustration with the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) over its handling of the crisis. The storm caused catastrophic damage, particularly in the southwestern parishes of St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Trelawny, St James, Hanover, and Manchester, severely disrupting JPS infrastructure. However, even parishes less affected by the hurricane are experiencing significant power outages, leaving 462,000 of JPS’s approximately 700,000 customers without electricity as of Friday morning.

During a media briefing on Friday, Vaz emphasized the need for better communication from JPS, urging CEO Hugh Grant to adopt the approach used during Hurricane Beryl last year. Vaz criticized the lack of detailed updates, stating, ‘The communication that is coming out is not enough. Not enough to me and it’s not enough to those who’re affected. It’s not only about the amount of people who’ve been restored, it’s how many more are to be restored and what is the projection for them to be restored.’

Vaz highlighted the plight of residents in Kingston and St Andrew (KSA), where many remain without power. He stressed the importance of providing clear timelines for restoration, saying, ‘All they want to know, so that they can plan their business, is ‘what is the issue and when is it expected [to be resolved].’’

Grant assured Vaz that KSA would be fully restored by Sunday, but Vaz deemed this insufficient, demanding daily updates on restoration progress for all affected communities. He shared that KSA would be 90% restored by Sunday, St Thomas by midnight Sunday, and St Catherine by 75%. However, he called for more information on other parishes, including St Mary and Portland, where the majority of customers remain without electricity.

A detailed breakdown of outages shows alarming figures, with some parishes like Hanover, Manchester, St Ann, St Elizabeth, St James, St Mary, Trelawny, and Westmoreland experiencing 99% power loss. Vaz pledged to ensure JPS provides more detailed information and committed to overseeing full restoration in unaffected areas while developing a comprehensive plan for severely affected regions.

-Lynford Simpson

In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, the town of Black River in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, has been left in a state of devastation. Mothers in the area are now grappling with dire conditions as they desperately seek food, water, and essential supplies for their children. When Observer Online visited the town on Thursday, the scene was one of utter destruction—buildings reduced to rubble, and thick mud blanketing the once-bustling main roads.

Residents, including Jheanile Richards and Sashoya Wynter, were seen sitting quietly amidst the ruins, clutching bags filled with whatever belongings they could salvage. Richards, cradling her one-month-old baby, recounted her five-hour search for diapers and food. ‘It’s rough, man, rough. Hunger is killing us. We’ll have to make do with the little we have,’ she said, her baby crying in the background.

Wynter, who lost her home during the hurricane, is now sheltering in an unfinished building with her two children. ‘There’s no food, nothing! What about those who have nothing at all and those who won’t share?’ she lamented. Both mothers emphasized that their most pressing need, aside from food, is water. ‘We don’t have any water at all. I don’t even know how I’m going to bathe,’ Wynter said, looking down at her dirt-stained clothes.

The unfinished building where Wynter and others are staying offers little comfort. ‘We’re sleeping on wet plywood. It’s hard, and we’re constantly worried about someone breaking in,’ she shared. Despite the hardships, the group of eight people staying there remains hopeful, relying on their faith for strength. ‘We sleep with fear, but we also sleep with God. Right now, God is all we have,’ Wynter said.

ST JAMES, Jamaica — The aftermath of Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of destruction across St James, with several schools and churches suffering significant damage. Among the affected institutions are the Herbert Morrison Technical High School and the Corinaldi Avenue Primary School, both of which experienced substantial harm to their infrastructure on Tuesday. Numerous other establishments in the parish have also reported compromised structures, necessitating extensive repairs that could span several months in some cases. The Hillview Baptist Church in Albion was particularly hard-hit, with its roof and other sections of the building sustaining extensive damage. These institutions, which have historically served as shelters during disasters, now find themselves in dire need of assistance. The full extent of the damage remains unclear, as some communities are still inaccessible due to impassable roads, hindering the delivery of support and aid.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a decisive move to address the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, Information Minister Dr. Dana Morris Dixon has unveiled the formation of multiple Cabinet subcommittees. These committees are tasked with leading the government’s recovery and relief initiatives, ensuring a coordinated and swift national response. The announcement was made during a press briefing on Friday, where Morris Dixon detailed the structure and objectives of the newly established bodies. At the forefront is the Relief and Recovery Oversight Committee, co-chaired by Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie and Minister of Energy, Transport, and Telecommunications Daryl Vaz. This committee will oversee the broader recovery process, with additional members including ministers Pearnel Charles Jr., Matthew Samuda, Andrew Wheatley, Kamina Johnson Smith, and Dana Morris Dixon. Ex-officio members Fayval Williams and Audrey Marks will also contribute to the oversight efforts. In a strategic move to engage the private sector, a dedicated committee has been formed to streamline contributions and investments from businesses. Co-chaired by Senator Keith Duncan and Audrey Marks, this committee is set to convene its inaugural meeting on Friday at 4:00 pm. Meanwhile, Minister Olivia Grange has been assigned to mobilize the church community to bolster relief activities, and Minister Robert Montague will focus on reconnecting families displaced or separated by the hurricane. The subcommittees are expected to commence their work immediately, prioritizing the restoration of essential services, providing aid to affected families, and supporting long-term reconstruction efforts.