DISASTER IN THE CARIBBEAN

By Kean Huy Alado

The nations in the Caribbean faced an ordeal in the form of a natural disaster, Hurricane Melissa, the week leading up to Halloween, and Barry students are grappling with the aftermath far away from their island homes.

Melissa made landfall in Jamaica first on Oct. 28, and it was classified as a Category 5 hurricane at the time. Over the week, Melissa took a destructive path and caused great worry for those in danger and those affected, including many Barry students,

faculty, and staff whose families live in countries like Jamaica, Cuba, the Bahamas, and Haiti.

When it reached the southeastern Bahamas, about 500 miles off the U.S. East Coast, it had weakened to a Category 1.

In its wake, the most affected regions include Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti. Damage in these countries varied in severity and type, including flooding from storm surges, torn-down homes and utility lines, power outages, blocked roads, and communication failures.

Officials in Haiti claimed on Oct. 30 that at least 30 people were killed by the hurricane, and 20 people were missing. Twenty-three people, including 10 children, from Petit-Goâve passed away due to the floods. On the other hand, Jamaican officials claimed on the same day that the hurricane resulted in at least 19 casualties. Other affected countries include the Dominican Republic and Cuba, which have fortunately kept casualties relatively lower, with at least two confirmed deaths for the former country and no deaths in the latter as of Oct. 30.

Xaneka Lewis, a senior nursing student at Barry University and the current president of student organizations, is Jamaican. Her family, which includes her mother, grandfather, and other extended family, all live in Jamaica, but were fortunate enough to have avoided severe effects.

"Soldier preparing resources for Jamaica post-hurricane Melissa" Photo Credit to Wikimedia Commons

“Me and my family, we come from and reside in the Kingston area of Jamaica, which is around the southeast side of the island, while Melissa’s danger zone was around the southwest side of the island,” she said.

Lewis said she is concerned about the island's recovery from the most severe hurricane in the nation’s history, but holds great optimism about the country’s

future.

Photo Credit to Wikimedia Commons

“My greatest concern will sound funny because I frankly don't have a greatest concern for my people, due to our resilience, sense of community, and the hard workers that we are as Jamaican people, I do believe that we will bounce back, quicker than the average island,” she said.

She encouraged her people to, “pray, support, work together, uplift each other through this time, and as we Jamaicans say, ‘wi likkle but we tallawah,’” a saying in Jamaican patois, which means it is a small island but big when it comes to community and being strong for one another.

Photo Credit to Wikimedia Commons

Another Barry University student affected is Lisa Lombard, a senior psychology major who has family in Haiti.

“My greatest concern for the people affected in my family is how long we’re going to have to go without electricity and how hard it would be for them to get food and water on a daily basis,” she said.

Lombard also wanted to impress upon affected people to “stay safe, find safe and legal ways to obtain food and water and to help their community build back up after the damage is done.”

Overall, Hurricane Melissa has brought terror and fear to the Barry University community, but the students, staff, and faculty living Stateside hope and trust that the people in their home countries will stay strong and recover well.