Death Toll in Jamaica Rises From Hurricane Melissa
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The death toll from Hurricane Melissa, which slammed into Jamaica late last month, has climbed to 45, Information Minister Dr. Dana Morris Dixon announced on Tuesday.
Information Minister Dr. Dana Morris Dixon, speaking at news conference on Tuesday (CMC Photo)She told the daily news conference that the highest number of casualties from the category 5 storm that hit Jamaica on October 28, came from St Elizabeth where 18 fatalities have been recorded to date, followed by Westmoreland with 15
She urged Jamaicans to pray for the families of the 45 people killed , saying “45 families are hurting and we pray for those families and ask God to comfort them”.
She said 33 post-mortems have been conducted to date.
Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (OPDEM), Commander Alvin Gayle, said that 15 people have been reported missing.
He said more than 130 buildings have reported some level of damage ranging from partial roof loss to complete collapse. He said an estimated 30,000 households have been displaced as a result of the storm.
“Just over 182 communities have been officially recorded as having sustained damage, primary in western Jamaica…Currently some 88 shelters remain open across nine parishes with just over 1,100 persons remaining in these shelters.
“While some persons have remained home, many continue to rely on the shelters as we work to restore access and provide restoration to damage homes,” he said, adding that the OPDEM is in contact with more than 90 per cent of the shelters in western Jamaica.
He said that just over 76 per cent of customers are back on the water system and as of Monday night 34 roadways remained completely blocked.
He said the two major telecom companies are reporting at least 50 per cent restoration of mobile services.
Gayle said that relief drops are continuing and it is coordinating the work f the various agencies as well as international partners to ensure that the aid received is distributed in a fair manner.
To date, just over 14,000 donors, both local and overseas have “inputted cash to our system at just over J$400 million (One Jamaica dollar=US$0.004 cents)”in addition to receiving over J$500 million in aid with an over 80 per cent rate of distribution of the relief items.
On Monday, the United States announced an additional US$10 million to support Jamaica’s hurricane recovery efforts, bringing total US emergency assistance to US $22 million, the Senior Official for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom, Jeremy Lewin, said.
Gay;e said that the OPDEM has “also received some significant support from our partner organisations…the partnerships have generally provided air craft services, field hospitals, food, mapping aid, search and rescue services, operational and logistical support, all of which are critical to the current relief efforts.
“The past two weeks have tested our strength resolve but our unity and our discipline and compassion have carried us through. As we move forward let us continue to support each other,” Gayle added.
