KINGSTON, Jamaica — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared Jamaica a disaster area following the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that tore across the island causing widespread destruction and flooding.
The hurricane made landfall on Jamaica’s southern coast early Tuesday, unleashing torrential rains and winds exceeding 175 mph before exiting near Trelawny on the north coast later in the day.
Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie said the declaration followed recommendations from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management after severe damage was reported across several parishes, including Clarendon, Manchester, St. Elizabeth, and Westmoreland.
McKenzie confirmed that extensive flooding and multiple landslides have cut off numerous communities, leaving many roads impassable. “By late Tuesday, several areas remained isolated due to rising waters and debris,” he said.
Forecasters warn that Melissa’s eye will continue to move away from western Jamaica by Tuesday evening before heading toward southeastern Cuba overnight.
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As I said over and over in this media. I was one of the first to say that with the slow speed of this hurricane there was enough time to move out our students, even after we made arrangements to house them at the Pegasus Hotel.
I would like to know what flight did our Prime Minister, his wife , body guards and entourage took to Dominica’s Creole Festival and Back? Was it a private charter? Did it cost the nation of Antigua and Barbuda? Was it an official visit? Could that plane or the cost have been used to bring home Antiguan students/ nationals from Jamaica and Cuba? Just asking …
There is always a spin to answers related to prayer, belief, faith and trust many of us have. I guess everything thats bad and evil is the work of the devil and everything good and right is God’s work, on the other hand we were thought that our God sees and knows everything even before it occurs, they preached and thought us he hold this whole world in his hands, he calms the seas and walk on waters.
God is described as omnipotent, most powerful, so even though evil comes like this 180mls hurricane, why did it have to make that right turn, knowing well way in advance the devastation that’s about to come?
The faithful and believers fall on their knees praying, but even as they worship you in churches evil strikes, even in politics we witnessed evil became the most powerful man in the world, so my theologian scholars spin me an answer, cause after this Melisa aftermath am lacking understanding.