As Hurricane Melissa creeps toward Jamaica, bringing intense rain and winds, residents are grappling with both physical and emotional tolls.
“This is a storm that has really been going very slow, which is what has caused it to hang around for almost a week,” Michael Taylor, a climate scientist and professor at the University of the West Indies, told CNN’s Brian Abel.
“Because it’s so slow, it’s going to dump a whole lot of rain – catastrophic rain is projected on the country. There’s a greater opportunity for storm surge to push inland and for landslides, especially because Jamaica has a strong, hilly interior.”
At 5 mph (8 kmph), Melissa’s slow pace is compounding fears of widespread flooding, infrastructure damage and mental fatigue. “I think the term I want to use is a psychological marathon,” Taylor said. “Even before the storm hit, we were already tired.”
Taylor noted that while Jamaica’s infrastructure in urban areas like Kingston has improved over the years, rural and informal settlements remain vulnerable. “Utilities have done their best to be resilient. It’s mixed across the country,” he explained.
As the storm looms, Taylor said people are doing what they can: gathering water, charging devices and preparing emergency kits. “We’re doing our best to ride this out,” he added.
