Commander Alvin Gayle, Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), has announced that the official number of confirmed fatalities pertinent to Hurricane Melissa now stands at 32, but commits that the agency will continue its relief efforts.

“Our hearts are with the families and communities grieving those lost, and we are providing necessary support to them during this difficult time,” Gayle said.

He outlined initial damage assessment indicates that over some 120,000 buildings in western Jamaica have lost their roofs. This directly impacts some 90,000 families, and many communities are still marooned, cut off by flooding and landslides.

“I can report that through the efforts of the Jamaica Defence Force, the National Works Agency, the Jamaica Fire Brigade and others, we successfully re-established access to many of these communities. However, as of this morning, there is some indication that some 27 communities remain marooned, primarily in the difficult-to-reach areas of St Elizabeth, St James and Trelawny,” Tufton added, speaking at a special press briefing on Thursday, November 6.

He assured Jamaica that the ODPEM, alongside other local agencies and international partners, are making every effort to conclude the initial damage assessment reports, the rapid needs assessment to determine the full extent of the damage across the island.

“This will help the government to understand the needs as we prepare to transition to a recovery phase. A number of shelters have been closed as persons are returning to their communities, whilst the data from some shelters is limited due to the communication challenges. However, as of 10 p.m. last evening, a total of 184 shelters remain open.”

Gayle added, “Some 2,487 persons have been displaced into these shelters, primarily from the St Elizabeth, Westmoreland and Hanover areas. It is our commitment that no one will be forgotten as the ODPEM is coordinating through the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and our international partners, airlift as well as dedicated ground teams to deliver food, water, and medical supplies to these locations. We will not stop until every single person who is affected is reached.”

He declared that a massive relief operation is in full swing and that through the efforts of the ODPEM, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, and the JDF, over some 36,000 food packages have been delivered. “Thousands of hot meals, hygiene kits, tarpaulins, and cases of water have been issued throughout the island… We understand that these have been some challenging times, and we acknowledge the challenges faced. Please know that the ODPEM’s response is one that is committed, coordinated and determined. We are fully engaged in a comprehensive multi-agency effort across the island to provide effective relief and restore services whilst prioritising the country’s needs,” he added.