Five days after Hurricane Melissa pummelled into western Jamaica with record force, residents in devastated communities along the coast are still desperately waiting for help. Many of the roads are blocked by debris and people are isolated with little food, no power or running water, and no idea of when normalcy will return.
The government said on Saturday that at least 28 people in Jamaica have died since the hurricane hit as a monster category five storm with 185 mph (297km/h) sustained winds. That is a near 50% jump in the death toll overnight, and the number could rise as officials clear their way into new parts of the island in the coming days.
Local official Dr Dayton Campbell told the BBC 10 of those deaths were in Westmoreland. Westmoreland parish is believed to have the second highest number of unconfirmed deaths, after St Elizabeth to the southeast. The eye of the storm hit somewhere between the two neighbouring parishes. At St Elisabeth an estimated 90% of homes have been destroyed.
Scenes paint a grim picture — a long stretch of road headed west into Westmoreland shows a graveyard of trees, with stacks of branches and limbs blanketing the landscape. Piles of debris are heaped next to battered buildings, and crowds of people wade through the destruction.
Frustration mounts for those in Whitehouse, a coastal town, as they await promised assistance that has yet to arrive. Gary Williams, who lost his home, expressed uncertainty about his future, hinting at a looming sense of despair among the community.
With power outages affecting approximately 400,000 people and many cut off from communication, there has been some response from the government, including the deployment of StarLink devices to restore connectivity.
Although foreign aid has begun to filter in, including support from the US and the UK, recovery seems a distant prospect. As locals like Oreth Jones affirm their resilience amidst loss, the road to recovery remains fraught with challenges, as they cling to hope to rebuild their shattered lives.
The government said on Saturday that at least 28 people in Jamaica have died since the hurricane hit as a monster category five storm with 185 mph (297km/h) sustained winds. That is a near 50% jump in the death toll overnight, and the number could rise as officials clear their way into new parts of the island in the coming days.
Local official Dr Dayton Campbell told the BBC 10 of those deaths were in Westmoreland. Westmoreland parish is believed to have the second highest number of unconfirmed deaths, after St Elizabeth to the southeast. The eye of the storm hit somewhere between the two neighbouring parishes. At St Elisabeth an estimated 90% of homes have been destroyed.
Scenes paint a grim picture — a long stretch of road headed west into Westmoreland shows a graveyard of trees, with stacks of branches and limbs blanketing the landscape. Piles of debris are heaped next to battered buildings, and crowds of people wade through the destruction.
Frustration mounts for those in Whitehouse, a coastal town, as they await promised assistance that has yet to arrive. Gary Williams, who lost his home, expressed uncertainty about his future, hinting at a looming sense of despair among the community.
With power outages affecting approximately 400,000 people and many cut off from communication, there has been some response from the government, including the deployment of StarLink devices to restore connectivity.
Although foreign aid has begun to filter in, including support from the US and the UK, recovery seems a distant prospect. As locals like Oreth Jones affirm their resilience amidst loss, the road to recovery remains fraught with challenges, as they cling to hope to rebuild their shattered lives.
