Black River, Jamaica: Residents Scavenge for Food and Water After Hurricane Melissa

Three days after Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, devastated Black River, Jamaica, residents are scavenging for food and water amidst widespread destruction. The storm has resulted in a rising death toll in Jamaica and Haiti, disrupted essential services, and rendered roads impassable, hindering aid efforts to the severely impacted port city.

Impact and Immediate Aftermath

Hurricane Melissa, described as one of the most powerful Category 5 storms ever recorded in the region and the strongest to hit Jamaica, severely affected Black River. The town, located approximately 150 km (93 miles) west of Kingston, has experienced extensive damage, with local officials estimating 90% of houses destroyed. Vital infrastructure, including the local hospital, police station, and fire station, has been rendered non-operational. Roads are unusable, electricity and running water are unavailable, and widespread debris includes capsized boats, split brick buildings, twisted metal, and crumbled vehicles.

Residents have been observed navigating muddied roads, searching for food among wreckage and entering damaged stores to find bottled water and other necessities. Demar Walker reported climbing into a partially collapsed market to retrieve items and sharing them with others. Reports also indicate looting at a local pharmacy, with individuals taking drugs and alcohol. Some residents have been seen taking food found in debris by the roadsides.

Humanitarian Situation and Aid Efforts

As of Thursday, officials reported 19 deaths in Jamaica, an increase from five reported the previous day. An additional 30 fatalities were reported in neighboring Haiti due to the storm. Demar Walker stated that his community had dead bodies.

The destruction has isolated many areas, with limited to no cell phone service, electricity, or running water in numerous hard-hit locations. Unusable roads prevent residents, such as Demar Walker, from traveling to contact family members, including his 8-year-old son in Westmoreland, an adjacent parish also severely affected by the hurricane.

While aid supplies are reportedly starting to arrive more rapidly at the main airport in Kingston, smaller regional airports near the most affected areas remain only partly operational. Aid agencies and the military are attempting to transport supplies by land from Kingston, but many roads, including the main route to Black River (approximately a two-hour drive), remain impassable due to flooding, damage, and congestion. Residents reported not having seen aid trucks in Black River so far.

Eyewitness Accounts and Official Statements

Chegun Braham described the situation as "chaos, chaos. Total. No food. No water. We don't have access to money. We need help. No help has come." Jimmy Esson stated, "I lost everything, all my things. We need food. We have no food." A couple reported their multiple stores had been looted and were observed guarding one of their remaining properties. Michael Tharkurdeen, a local medic who was in the town's fire station during the storm, described the bottom floor flooding to four or five feet with shoulder-high waves. He treated individuals with lacerations and found a man without a pulse once the floodwaters receded.

Black River Mayor Richard Solomon stated that the "entire town of Black River is devastated." Regarding looting, he acknowledged the desperation of residents, noting that while not condoning it, he understands the reasons. He described a "delicate balance" in addressing people taking items from damaged stores and others "being a little bit more forceful." Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon noted "entire communities that seem to be marooned and areas that seem to be flattened."