Ottawa’s Jamaican community worried for family, friends as Melissa makes landfall

People living in Ottawa with connections to Jamaica are watching and praying as Melissa makes landfall as a Category 5 hurricane. CTV’s Katie Griffin reports.

For Ottawa’s Jamaican community, watching from afar as Hurricane Melissa roared ashore on Tuesday is the toughest part.

“Trying to reach family and you are not able to reach them anymore because the power for the most part is cut off and not everyone can afford a generator, so you’re not able to reach them,” said Simone Smart.

Jamaica took a direct hit from the powerful storm that made landfall as a Category 5 storm, causing widespread damage—the full extent not yet known.

“It took Flat Bridge this morning. That was literally underwater. So, whoever is on the opposite side is cut off,” Smart said.

Canadian Alex Green is hunkering down in Montego Bay.

“They have a generator and a backup generator and a backup generator for the backup generator,” Green said. “We’ve been moved to a bunker, but everyone has their own beds and there’s an entertainment room where we have our meals. We’re well taken care of.”

Marsha Coore Lobban, Jamaica’s High Commissioner to Canada, says the country is basically in lockdown as the system passes over. “You can’t do anything until this system passes,” she said. “But we anticipate that there will be significant damages across and especially in the central area.”

She says she’s been told about 3,000 Canadian tourists are on the island and the High Commission stands ready to help.

The High Commissioner, Smart and other members of the city’s Jamaican community held a virtual meeting Tuesday about the situation and ways to help.

Smart says they’re leaning on each other and their faith.

“Strong faith, and even more so now than ever. So, you’ll see a lot of praying for Jamaica, a lot of people are praying and that’s what keeps most of us going,” Smart said.

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