Hurricane Melissa’s destruction across Jamaica has left families struggling to regroup, with communities still cut off and major relief needs growing, reggae icon Sean Paul has said.
Speaking about the days following the deadly Category Five storm, he explained that the emotional shock, especially for children, and the scale of the clean-up and support required have weighed heavily on those trying to help.
The award-winning performer was in Kingston when the hurricane swept over the island, packing winds that reached 185mph and leaving at least 28 people dead. While the capital escaped the worst damage, he said the fear was intense and the scenes were unlike anything his children had ever seen. “It was very frightening, especially for my young kids,” he said.
“That's the first time they've seen trees dance like that and the wind move like that. They're in shock still, and traumatised. And can you imagine the children who are in the epicentre of it? It feels like you're in the Middle Ages.”
He described moments during the storm when residents worried that their homes could be ripped apart at any moment. “We weren't hit in Kingston very hard, but it was frightening. And you're wondering, at any minute now is there going to be, you know, some tree that comes along and slaps your roof off?” he said. Friends in Montego Bay lost their roof and are now trying to assist others even as they deal with their own losses. “Everybody's stuff is all muddied up and it's hard to think about something positive at this time,” he added.
Sean Paul has committed $50,000 to Food For The Poor Jamaica and said the pressure of trying to help those in need has taken a toll.
“After days and days of communication and trying to help out in different ways, on Saturday I broke down,” he said. “It's just the amount of energy it takes, and the depression that starts to set in, and then you have to shake yourself out of it because there's just so much to be done that we haven't even tipped the iceberg yet.”
He recently visited St Mary, where homes remain without electricity and communication is limited. Many residents do not know how widespread the damage is or how much help is being mobilised.
“Some people don't even know that people are helping them, because a lot of the time they're not able to see these videos of people preparing stuff to send out there,” he said. “And so little has been actually distributed... There's still blocked areas, roads that are damaged.”
He pointed to heartbreaking stories, including newborn babies sleeping in cardboard boxes. “I just heard a story of 15 babies that were under three months old, but they're sleeping in cardboard boxes right now,” he said.
Fellow Jamaican star Shaggy has been organising supply trips and witnessing the devastation first-hand. “Devastated. I don't think I can unsee what I've seen... It's rough, there's a lot of aid coming in,” he said. “Everything is flattened. It breaks my heart. I couldn't help but weep. These are my people.” Shaggy is planning a charity concert in December. As Sean Paul explained, “It has to be down the road where we can promote it.”
