Ontario family relieved after parents survive Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica

A couple missing in Jamaica during Hurricane Melissa has made contact with their loved ones in London. CTV’s Reta Ismail reports.

It’s been two weeks since Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica, leaving behind widespread destruction and uncertainty for thousands of residents.

Among those caught in the chaos were Canadian couple Richard and Diane Kitching, whose island home took a direct hit from the powerful storm.

“They were underneath the porch, exposed to the elements in the wind, trying to decide what their next move was going to be … and the phone cut out,” said their son, Jason Kitching.

For days, their family in London, Ont. had no idea if the couple had survived.

“Worried sick. Just waiting on pins and needles,” Jason said. “I had no idea if they were injured … if that, you know, God forbid, they were even alive.”

Relief finally came through social media, confirming the couple had survived the hurricane. Jason spoke with his parents for the first time last week.

“The whole house is on a slant now because it was off its footings. Such powerful winds — it blew a whole house over,” he said. “The bedroom still has a roof, and they were able to put blocks under their bed to make it level. They’re running on a generator, just getting by.”

The Canadian Red Cross has since deployed emergency medical teams to assist those affected by the storm.

“We already had pre-positioned emergency stock, blankets, hygiene parcels, food, throughout the country anticipating this hurricane,” said Chiran Livera, operations lead for the Red Cross. “Those were distributed immediately, and we started to provide medical assistance, psychosocial support, referrals to medical centres, and transportation. That’s now being scaled up through the Canadian Red Cross medical team.”

In the meantime, the Kitchings have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help rebuild their home and their lives.