As Hurricane Melissa pulls away from Jamaica, Canadians pray for loved ones

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CTV National News: Jamaicans in Canada fear for families hit by Hurricane Melissa

Local community groups seeking aid for Jamaicans impacted by Hurricane Melissa

‘We are going to need a lot of support’: Canadian in Jamaica describes damage of Hurricane Melissa

Communities in Jamaica ‘struggling to survive’ after destruction of Hurricane Melissa

Torontonian finds it ‘devastating’ to see aftermath of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica

‘Life throws these things at you’: Jamaica resident on surviving Hurricane Melissa

Jamaica declared a disaster area after Hurricane Melissa leaves trail of devastation

CTV National News: Hurricane Melissa barreling toward Cuba after ravaging Jamaica

CTV National News: Canadians assemble aid as they fear for family members in Jamaica

Toronto's Little Jamaica residents express concern for loved ones amidst Hurricane Melissa impact

Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm to ever hit Jamaica, made landfall on Tuesday afternoon.

• IN PICTURES: Hurricane Melissa devastates Jamaica, makes its way through Cuba

Now a Category 4 storm, Melissa is expected to cross into the island nation entering near St. Elizabeth parish in the south and exiting at St. Ann parish in the north.

The storm will then head towards Cuba.

Here’s everything that happened on Tuesday, Oct. 28:

Jamaicans in the GTA concerned for loved ones on island

GTA residents with roots in Jamaica are thinking and praying for their loved ones back home as Hurricane Melissa made landfall on the island on Tuesday.

Dubbed Jamaica’s “storm of the century” by the World Meteorological Association, Melissa is expected to cause significant and widespread damage on the island nation.

Many in the GTA, which has roughly 250,000 people of Jamaican descent, have come together to support those with relatives in Jamaica and are already planning fundraisers to help them in the disaster’s aftermath.

You can read the full story on CTV Toronto

Joanna Lavoie, CP24.com journalist

Melissa moves towards eastern Cuba

In a post shared on social media, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said conditions are expected to deteriorate rapidly over the next several hours, as Hurricane Melissa moves toward eastern Cuba.

Tammy Ibrahimpoor, CTVNews.ca National Digital Producer

New danger for hurricane-hit Jamaica: wandering crocodiles

Jamaican health authorities on Tuesday urged residents across the island to be vigilant for crocodiles displaced by Hurricane Melissa.

“Rising water levels in rivers, gullies, and swamps could cause crocodiles to move into residential areas,” posted the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) in a public service announcement on social media.

“Residents living near these areas are therefore advised to remain vigilant and avoid flood-waters.”

AFP

Winnipeg residents praying for loved ones in Jamaica

As Hurricane Melissa continues to devastate Jamaica, members of Winnipeg’s Jamaican community are praying for their loved ones as they remember deadly past storms.

“I’m really worried about them, because I’ve been through Hurricane Gilbert,” said Christine Pattison, owner of Miss Christine’s Kitchen in Winnipeg, who is from Kingston, the Jamaican capital. “Where I’m from … down by the waterfront, the homes are not that great of a structure. I’m really worried about what’s going to be happening.”

Pattison is also concerned about the aftermath and possible food shortages.

“That’s scary when you stop and think about it, because people have to eat,” she said.

You can read the full story on CTV Winnipeg

Milan Lukes, CTV Winnipeg editorial producer

Melissa heading towards eastern Cuba

In a statement shared at (5 p.m. EDT), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Melissa is pulling away from Jamaica and heading towards Cuba.

It says the life-threatening storm surge is expected in Cuba later today, warning of heavy rainfall, flash flooding and landslides.

Tammy Ibrahimpoor, CTVNews.ca National Digital Producer

Global Affairs Canada urges caution, issues advisories

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) says it’s closely tracking Hurricane Melissa, urging Canadians abroad to check its travel advice and advisories.

According to GAC, Canadians in the region are advised to “avoid all travel” to Jamaica, Haiti, as well as Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Holguin and Las Tunas in Cuba.

Canadians are also advised to avoid all non-essential travel to the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern and central Bahamas.

Canadians can also consult the individual Travel Advice and Advisories webpages, monitor the latest advisories from the U.S. National Hurricane Centre and follow @TravelGoC on social media.

Tammy Ibrahimpoor, CTVNews.ca National Digital Producer

Melissa drops to Category 4: NHC

In an updated statement Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Melissa is now a Category 4 hurricane but remains a “powerful” storm.

The current maximum sustained winds are at 240 km/h, or 150 m.p.h., according to the NHC, adding that residents should remain in place through the storm.

Hunter Crowther, CTVNews.ca afternoon producer

Cuba’s president urges residents to not underestimate the power of the storm

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said every effort will be made to protect residents despite the fragility of the island’s economy.

In a televised address to the nation and wearing an olive-green uniform, Díaz-Canel urged the population to not underestimate the power of the storm, calling it “the strongest ever to hit national territory.”

He asked residents to avoid bathing in swollen rivers and urged them not to leave evacuation sites “until the order has been given.”

“There will be a lot of work to do. We know there will be a lot of damage.”

The Associated Press

Global Medic Prepares Aid for Jamaica

Canadian humanitarian group Global Medic says it is ready to provide aid to Jamaica and has eight packages already prepared to go.

“What we’ve done is we’ve prepped all the kits so that we’re able to respond quick, be agile, and be mobile,” Rahul Singh, Global Medic executive director told CTV News Channel.

According to Singh, the Global Medic team is equipped to provide food programming, medical care and clean drinking water to affected Caribbean countries.

“We’ll do our best to be there for the people of Jamaica like we have in the past,” he said.

The relief agency says Canadians can help relief efforts by making a financial donation to humanitarian groups, including Global Medic.

Kayla Thompson, CTV News fellow

‘Extremely dangerous’: Melissa crossing western Jamaica

In its latest update, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said the “extremely dangerous” hurricane was crossing western Jamaica with “catastrophic winds, flash flooding and storm surge.”

As of 2 p.m. ET, the hurricane was about 35 kilometres southwest of Montego Bay and showing maximum sustained winds of 270 km/h.

“Total structural failure is likely near the path of Melissa, especially in higher elevation areas where wind speeds atop and on the windward sides of hills and mountains could be up to 30 percent stronger,” the National Hurricane Center warned. “Do not venture out in the eye as winds will rapidly increase within the backside of the eyewall.”

Hurricane warnings are also currently in effect for the Cuban provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Holguin and Las Tunas, as well as southeastern and central parts of the Bahamas.

“Residents in Jamaica should remain in a safe shelter,” the National Hurricane Center advised. “In the warning area in Cuba and the Bahamas, preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.”

According to the National Hurricane Center, Melissa is expected to hit Cuba tonight before reaching the Bahamas on Wednesday.

Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist

Landfall details

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica as a powerful Category 5 storm on Tuesday afternoon.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center describes it as “one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin.”

The hurricane made landfall near the community of New Hope around 1 p.m. EDT with estimated maximum sustained winds of 295 km/h.

Those in the region are being urged to remain sheltered and not exit as the hurricane’s eye passes over.

“To protect yourself from wind, the best thing you can do is put as many walls as possible between you and the outside,” the National Hurricane Center advised. “An interior room without windows, ideally one where you can also avoid falling trees, is the safest place you can be in a building. You can cover yourself with a mattress and wear a helmet for added protection.”

Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist

‘Like being on a rollercoaster blindfolded’

Matthew Cappuci, senior meteorologist based in Orlando, tells CTV News Channel what it was like flying in the eye of the hurricane on Sunday night with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“You couldn’t see much out the side until you got in the eye,” he said in an interview Tuesday. “Keep in mind that hurricane hunters are flying at about 280 m.p.h., so traversing most of the hurricane, at least one side of it takes about 10 to 15 minutes. During that time frame, it was like being on a roller-coaster blindfolded. Up, down, left, right … couldn’t see a thing.”

He says once exiting the eye, it suddenly went calm, and he could see stars “twinkling above.”

Cappuci adds that based on the strength of the hurricane, Jamaica’s landscape will likely be changed for half a generation with the uprooting of vegetation.

Lynn Chaya, CTV News journalist

Hurricane expected to have indirect impact on Eastern Canada later this week

Hurricane Melissa is forecast to stay offshore as it accelerates northward this week, but the Canadian Hurricane Centre says the storm is still expected to play a role in dumping some ugly weather across Eastern Canada.

Meteorologist Bob Robichaud says that on Friday, a low-pressure system will make its way over the northeastern United States, where it will pull in moist, tropical air from Melissa.

The result will be strong winds and rain across the Maritimes and into parts of Ontario and Quebec.

While Melissa will likely head for the Grand Banks off eastern Newfoundland on Saturday, the low-pressure system is expected to continue churning out blustery, wet weather in its wake.

Read more here.

The Canadian Press

Category 5 hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a category five hurricane, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest advisory.

It was one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin, the NHC added.

Reuters

U.S. ‘Hurricane Hunters’ fly into eye of hurricane

A U.S. Air Force Reserve crew had to return to its forward operating location on the Caribbean island of Curaçao after encountering heavy turbulence while entering the eye of Hurricane Melissa on Tuesday.

“During the event, the aircraft briefly experienced forces stronger than normal due to turbulence,” the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron said in a social media post. “While this does not automatically indicate damage, standard safety procedures require an inspection before returning to operations.”

Better known as the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters, the Mississippi-based unit was able to capture dramatic footage from inside the hurricane on Monday before being forced to turn around. The Hurricane Hunters fly modified versions of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft.

Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist

Thousands are evacuated in eastern Cuba

Authorities in the eastern Cuban province of Holguín prepared to evacuate more than 200,000 people on Tuesday, in addition to a similar number moved to safety from the town of Banes.

Reports on social media and state television showed blue-and-white buses ferrying evacuees to shelter. Families clutched babies and belongings, and elderly people steadied themselves with canes as they disembarked.

“This phenomenon is very dangerous,” Deputy Prime Minister Eduardo Martínez said in a statement from Banes, where he was located in what appeared to be a shelter. “It is unprecedented,” he said of Hurricane Melissa.

The Associated Press

‘STAY IN YOUR SHELTER!’

The U.S. National Hurricane Center’s noon update says the eye of Melissa is approaching the southwestern coast of Jamaica.

“THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION!” the update reads.

The agency is advising people to stay in shelter as the eye passes over, “as winds will quickly, and rapidly increase on the other side of the eye.”

The current maximum sustained winds reached is 295 km/h.

Lynn Chaya, CTV News journalist

Catastrophic wind damage is expected in Melissa’s core

“It’s going to be a very dangerous scenario,” said Michael Brennan, director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami, warning that there would be “total building failures.”

Brennan said Jamaica’s highest mountains could see wind gusts of up to 200 mph (321 kph).

“It’s just a catastrophic situation playing out here for Jamaica,” he said.

Brennan noted that Melissa would make landfall in eastern Cuba overnight Tuesday or early Wednesday.

The Associated Press

Canada stands with Caribbean community: Anand

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says Canada is ready to assist those abroad.“Canada stands with Jamaica, Cuba, and the broader

Caribbean community as Hurricane Melissa approaches," she posted on X. “We are closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to provide assistance, including humanitarian support. Global Affairs Canada’s 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre is ready to assist any Canadians requiring help in the region.”

Anand is encouraging Canadians in the affected area to sign up with the Registration of Canadians Abroad to stay updated.

Lynn Chaya, CTV News journalist

Agencies prepare humanitarian aid for quick distribution after the storm

The U.N.’s International Organization for Migration said Tuesday that it is dispatching solar lamps, blankets, indoor tents, generators and other items from its logistics hub in Barbados to Jamaica as soon as the storm crosses the island.

“Many people are likely to be displaced from their homes and in urgent need of shelter and relief,” said Natasha Greaves, interim head for IOM Jamaica.

Meanwhile, the nonprofit Direct Relief said it has two packages with enough medications to treat 3,000 people in one month staged in Panama and ready to deploy to Jamaica.

It also will send a shipment of 100 field medic packs from its warehouse in California to Jamaica as soon as the island’s main international airport reopens.

The Associated Press

Shelters are open but not everyone is going

Officials in Jamaica say they are concerned that not enough people are seeking shelter as the catastrophic storm approaches.

More than 130 shelters were open across the island, but by late Monday, fewer than 1,000 people had heeded evacuation orders.

One exception was the small community of Old Harbor, just west of Kingston. Some 200 people crowded in its shelter by late Monday.

“It’s definitely more than last time,” said Jason Fuller, a firefighter and shelter volunteer, referring to the number of people that sought shelter from Hurricane Beryl last year.

He said the team of volunteers have ensured that there is adequate food, bedding and security with police and soldiers on location.

In the past, Jamaicans have complained about the safety in shelters and lack of basic goods.

“I am feeling safe and OK,” said a cheerful 13-year-old girl who only provided her first name, Natanya.

The Associated Press