Scores of Jamaicans have been opening up their homes to those left without proper shelter following the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28.
Residents in Catherine Hall, St James, have opened their doors to their neighbours who have been left homeless following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
The category 5 weather system barrelled through the island, claiming more than 40 lives and flattening houses, particularly in the western end of the country. For residents of Catherine Hall, the nearby Montego River flooded the ground floors of homes and apartments, leaving everything covered in silt and mud, or destroyed, forcing them to flee to other areas. They then had to seek refuge in the homes of generous neighbours as the hurricane wreaked havoc.
One elderly member of the community, who identified herself only as Joyce, said that she and her grandson had to flee to a neighbour’s house after the waters started to permeate the area.
“My neighbour called me and said, ‘Joyce! Joyce! The river coming down.” By the time I’m to reach in my room to take out my stuff, the water was at my knee. All I could grab was my passport and my grandson’s passport, my bank card, and my bag… Mi grandson lift me out. We went on top of the roof and went through my neighbour’s back window.”
“I went and stayed with one of mi friend. When I reached back, everything was gone. Everything turn over over. What mi put up was full of mud.”
She stated that she is now living with a friend as she recovers from the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.
“I stay with a friend my age. She flood out downstairs too. But we are upstairs on the roof; my friend and her daughter,” the senior citizen explained.
A male resident, English, also shared the story with Freedom Come Rain of how his neighbours opened their doors to accommodate multiple residents as the hurricane raged across the island. He said that he was at work when his spouse, who lives at home with a young child, sent word that the river had overflowed its banks.
“When I got there, the entire house was flooded. Thankfully, my neighbour, they live on the upper floor, and that’s where we sought refuge on the day. It was about 15 of us in a 10 by 10 bedroom for the night.”
He also revealed that the damage to the river was so extensive that it took him a little over a week to finally clean most of the dirt and silt brought by the river.
Another neighbour, who wished to be identified as Ebony, disclosed that the trend of persons sharing their resources with others was not unique to the community. She noted that this was an act of love among citizens.
“A whole heap a love in Catherine Hall enuh. People a share house. Dem offer dem upstairs and take in their neighbour. People a tek in people. People a help people. Nuh shame nuh deh inna we game. People a wear dem one another clothes,” said Ebony.
There have been similar stories from residents across the island.
Preliminary estimates have so far revealed that the extent of infrastructural damages to the island is approximately $6 to $7 billion US dollars, or approximately $1 trillion Jamaican dollars, with $35 million resulting from road damages and approximately $92 billion in the agricultural sector.