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‘Half of my life is gone’- Jamaicans grapple with destruction after Hurricane Beryl

July 6, 2024 2:12 PM IST

The aftermath of Hurricane Beryl has left many Jamaican residents grappling with significant destruction and loss.

Glad Powell, whose home was severely damaged, walked through the wreckage of his house, a tree having caved in his roof. “I’m nervous, to be honest. I was here hoping that it would never be this terrible,” he said on Friday (July 5). Despite moving to a shelter early on, the devastation was unavoidable.

In St. Elizabeth Parish, the scene was similarly grim. Collin Stephenson’s home suffered extensive damage, leaving him and his brother in shock. “It’s so devastating. We got nothing at all. When it happened, it was me and my brother here. The whole stuff [house] is going to come out completely,” Stephenson said.

Olive Rowe stood amid the ruins of her demolished home, visibly distressed. “As you can see, the building came down. Too many things mashed up inside the house. We don’t have anything left. All I have left is the break of things inside here. We don’t know how we are going to manage,” she said.

Everton Evanks described his experience as the worst of his life. “One of the worst experiences ever. I never went through this before. It’s the second hurricane I’ve experienced since Gilbert.”

The destruction wrought by Hurricane Beryl has left many without homes, struggling to find the means to rebuild their lives. The island’s recovery efforts are underway, but the road to rebuilding will be long and challenging as the affected communities grapple with the aftermath of one of the most devastating hurricanes in recent memory and the earliest of the season.

(REUTERS)

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Last updated on: 27th November 2024