Communications are still cut off in many areas but some news is starting to filter out about the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.
The President of the Jamaican Canadian Association in Newfoundland and Labrador, Didan Wedderburn says a lot of her family is in Westmoreland Parish on the western end of the country, which was hardest hit by the storm.
She has made contact with her parents and siblings living on the eastern end of the island and they’re doing well, but the news out of Westmoreland where Melissa made landfall is not good.
“Entire communities are flattened,” says Wedderburn. “Homes are completely wiped out, including properties owned by my family, so it has been a very trying day to process.”
Debris and water completely inundated Jamaica’s famous Flat Bridge as of this morning (via See Jamaica)
She says the greatest strain is not being able to reach out to family members to find out what their situation is.
“We are just going off whatever video footage we have been able to see.”
Wedderburn says she started her day yesterday crying as the enormity of the situation sank in. She hopes that the close ties and history Newfoundlanders and Labradorians share with Jamaica going back centuries will help those affected by the storm.
“We’re having dialogue about potential fundraising opportunities that we can put together. So if anyone is listening and they feel compassion toward Jamaica and even us here living amongst Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, they could reach out to the Jamaican Canadian Association.”
