Gusts of up to 320 km/h, torrential rains, landslides… Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica on Tuesday, October 28. Elevated to the highest category on the Saffir-Simpson scale, it is also the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the country since meteorological records exist.
On Tuesday at noon the hurricane made landfall west of the island. Very quickly, the inhabitants were spectators of exceptional and impressive bad weather. The vegetation was destroyed by the force of the wind and the intense rains completely cut off the landscape.
The buildings, subjected to winds of more than 300 km/h, fell one after another. Ceilings, walls and furniture were blown away by the wind and sometimes also by water.
The same goes for trees, many of which were uprooted by the force of the wind, falling on roads, cars and even homes.
Torrents of mud and devastating waters
Torrents of muddy water also formed, such as in Spaulding where the town was split in two by a river that destroyed everything in its path. Similar scenes were observed in other communities in the parish of Clarendon, in southern Jamaica, but also in the parish of Saint Ann, in the north-central part.
Saint Elizabeth, a parish located in the southwest of the island populated by 150,000 people and the “breadbasket of Jamaica”, was submerged, according to Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government.
Neighbors have also observed erosion phenomena on the coasts, in which the sea erodes the soil under the houses closest to the coast.
“We will rebuild,” promises the prime minister
Across the country, damage is extensive, particularly in western and central Jamaica. The east of the island, where the capital Kingston is located, appears to have been less affected, according to a resident who spoke to AFP. “I have the impression that the worst is over,” he told the news agency.
After the hurricane, the violent gusts that crossed Jamaica gave way to devastated streets and impassable roads. Police forces are mobilizing to assess the first damage.
“More than 530,000 Jamaicans are without electricity,” announced local government minister Desmond McKenzie. “Work is underway to restore our service and prioritize critical infrastructure such as hospitals, pumping stations and water treatment.”
“Our country was devastated by Hurricane Melissa, but we will rebuild it and make it even better than before,” Prime Minister Andrew Holness promised on US television.
Source: BFM TV
