Many South Floridians who have family in Jamaica have been in constant communication, checking on them. However, as Hurricane Melissa made landfall as a Category 5 storm, it came to a stop due to the loss of signal caused by power outages.
Jamaicans said they were feeling the impacts before landfall.
“There’s a feeling of anxiety among a lot of persons,” said Dontae Matthews, who lives in Saint Catherine, a parish about 10 miles from Kingston.
“We’re seeing gusty winds, flooded roadways. Some roads are becoming impassable,” he continued.
Matthews answered CBS Miami’s questions using audio clips because there was no power or cell service to access video chat.
“Trees are falling down in my community. It’s mostly windy, but we have seen properties where fences are falling down,” said Matthews.
Late Tuesday afternoon, the Jamaica Public Service Company reported approximately 240,000 customers were without power.
“There’s definitely a sense of urgency. But Jamaicans are resilient people,” said Matthews.
People living on the island told CBS News Miami that some areas have been experiencing power outages for about two days.
There are also reports of roofs that have collapsed, and the entrance to a hospital in Mandeville is blocked by flooding.
