Truly Praying for Jamaica

[emeryjre]

Hurricane Melisa will hit Jamaica with devastating force
There is nowhere the citizens of the Island can hide
We can only hope the damage is less than expected

 

[rapmarks]

In Wisconsin Dells, they are trying to organize help, as many of the summer workers are from there. A large contingent was supposed to fly back this week, but flights were canceled

 

[Talent312]

In Wisconsin Dells, they are trying to organize help, as many of the summer workers are from there. A large contingent was supposed to fly back this week, but flights were canceled

In Park City, UT, our shuttle driver was Jamaican.
He played Reggae music on the bus. I liked the guy.
Hope he and his family are okay.

 

[moonstone]

We have a good friend in Belize who moved there from Jamaica many years ago. He moved his elderly mom out of Jamaica a year ago so she could live with him since his brothers never seemed to have time to help her out. We met her last winter and she is a lovely lady and beautiful artist (painting). Our friend still has a couple of brothers and other relatives in Jamaica and is trying to keep in touch with them. I was messaging with him this afternoon. The last time he talked to his brothers, yesterday, they were packing all their valuables and driving to higher ground on the north side of the island.

I just saw this on a weather page;
Hurricane Melissa, has once more broke her own record. Just recently she broke it by reaching a core temperature of -4.41 Celsius (Melissa dropped 0.34 degrees) with 175mph sustained winds and pushing 200+ MPH wind gust.
This hurricane is so strong the NOAA could not successfully fly into the core due to too much turbulence.
This hurricane is the strongest ever recorded especially in modern day history.


So sad! It is a brutal storm!


~Diane

 

[Passepartout]

There are a good many reinforced concrete structures there. I hope people don't try to ride it out in shacks. Best wishes to all.

 

[moonstone]

There are a good many reinforced concrete structures there. I hope people don't try to ride it out in shacks. Best wishes to all.

I saw a story in the news earlier today where some folks living in those shacks with almost flat tin roofs had piled cinder blocks all along the edges of the roof in hopes that it wouldnt blow off.

Our friend says there are lots of small towns full of those homes (just like many Belizean folks live in) and they have no way of getting to higher ground. He had heard the government or some agency was bringing busses in to evacuate people from very low lying areas.


~Diane

 

[Passepartout]

I saw a story in the news earlier today where some folks living in those shacks with almost flat tin roofs had piled cinder blocks all along the edges of the roof in hopes that it wouldnt blow off.

Our friend says there are lots of small towns full of those homes (just like many Belizean folks live in) and they have no way of getting to higher ground. He had heard the government or some agency was bringing busses in to evacuate people from very low lying areas.


~Diane

I'm very afraid that those folks may have what little they have swept away. Hopefully not along with their lives and loved ones.

 

[Talent312]

The impact on Jamaican coffee (my favorite) will be catastrophic as well. Quoting Google:
"Melissa's intense winds and rain are causing widespread fruit loss. For many, this means the complete loss of the 2025 crop... High winds are stripping coffee plants of their leaves and uprooting entire trees... The massive rainfall is triggering landslides, a particular risk in the steep terrain of coffee-growing regions. This can physically wipe out entire farms..."

 

[AnnaS]

 

[pedro47]

Jamaica was hit with strong winds and heavy rain. My prayers are with the Jamaican peoples.

 

[moonstone]

The few photos that are coming out of Jamaica this morning are not good. Many hospitals have been heavily damaged so they cant even treat the injured.
I saw a FB video of an American staying at an All Inclusive (RIU?), they said they had to stay in their rooms all day yesterday with no food or water except what they had taken in themselves beforehand. This morning they were allowed out and there was a stampede at the one buffet restaurant that opened with the kitchen having trouble keeping up with demand.

~Diane