Bay Area Jamaicans watch, worry as Hurricane Melissa slams into island
Bay Area residents worry about loved ones caught in Hurricane Melissa
The Bay Area's Jamaican American Community Organization and local Jamaican business owners kept close to their phones Tuesday, waiting for word from family and friends in Jamaica as the Category 5 Hurricane Melissa battered homes , hospitals and other buildings with winds of up to 185 miles an hour.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Bay Area residents anxiously watched their phones Tuesday afternoon as Category 5 Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica, wiping out power and communications.
Hurricane Melissa brought winds of up to 185 mph, toppling trees, power lines and ripping roofs off buildings. Jamaican officials said about 15,000 people were in shelters, and 77% of customers, roughly 540,000 people, were without power.
Local families await word
What they're saying:
At Nalo Jamaican Restaurant in Oakland, owner Odain Miller said most of his family lives in the western city of Negril.
"Siblings mostly, cousins, aunts, grand-aunts, uncles...hoping everybody makes it out safe," Miller said.
Miller said his brother, who works for the military, was part of a search and rescue team on standby for deployment to coastal areas.
"It’s nothing to play with. The debris will be deadly," he said.
Hurricane Melissa one of strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record: See list
Hurricane Melissa has become one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic.
Losing contact
Cleve Minto, owner of Minto Jamaican Market and Minto Restaurant in Oakland, said he last heard from his family around 2 a.m.
"Most of my family is in Montego Bay. I'm just hoping and praying for family and friends and loved ones, Minto said.
He later received a video clip and message from his sister showing trees bending in the wind.
Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica
Heavy floodwaters swept across southwestern Jamaica, winds tore roofs off buildings and boulders tumbled into roads Tuesday as Hurricane Melissa came ashore as a catastrophic Category 5 storm.
Watching from afar
Local perspective:
Bay Area resident Shorron Levy, founder of the Jamaican American Community Organization (JACO), said she was traveling to Jamaica for an investment conference but was stranded on the East Coast when flights were canceled.
Levy said she watched the storm unfold in real time through security cameras at her home near Montego Bay.
"The electrical cords are on the road, a tree fell over in our driveway," she said.
Her family, she said, lives mostly in concrete homes but worked to help an uncle reach safety.
"To see this happen at this time is just heartbreaking," Levy said.
Tennyson Williams of Union City, a JACO board member, said Bay Area Jamaicans are rallying to help with recovery efforts.
"The diaspora is coming together," Williams said. "We had a meeting yesterday with the Ambassador of Jamaica talking about what plans are in place. All we can do is pray that everything works out for everyone."
The JACO board said it is identifying the greatest needs in Jamaica and plans to post verified charities on its website to support recovery efforts in the coming months.