KINGSTON – The death toll from Hurricane Melissa rose to 32 on Monday even as the authorities reported progress in restoring electricity and water to areas affected by the passage of the category 5 storm last Tuesday.
Information Minister Dr Dana Morris Dixon told a news conference that there are eight other unconfirmed deaths which are being investigated by the security forces.
Local Government and Community Development Minister, Desmond McKenzie said that 186 shelters remain open across 12 parishes accommodating 2 500 people.
Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange Monday announced the launch of a national registry of volunteers on the support Jamaica portal, which she said will provide a safe and simple way for you to get involved.
“Through this registry you will be able to tell us when you are available to help, what your skills are as well as what type of assistance you would like to give,” she told the daily media briefing, adding that plans are also going forward for the various shows in London and the United States featuring several international acts in December.
“We will get over this, we will build better,” she added.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has issued a statement indicating that a message circulating online about the offering of a Hurricane Melissa grant is false, indicating that such a message had been put out in 2024 for Hurricane Beryl, and has no relation to the current situation.
The ministry said that the government remains firmly committed to assisting all Jamaicans affected by Hurricane Melissa, and has started the process of conducting household damage assessments.
It said that an official announcement on financial assistance to affected persons will be made in due course and that in the meantime, the Ministry, along with local and international partners, continues the urgent distribution of relief supplies.
The chief executive officer of the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), Hugh Grant, told the news briefing that 77 per cent of customers had been re-connected, adding that the overseas line workers are due in the country by the end of the week.
“We are also bringing in additional equipment because our local resources in terms of bucket trucks and pole digger trucks are exhausted…so that when the workers come in they will have the equipment required,” he said, adding “ I stand committed to letting you know we will get through this”.
Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Mathew Samuda, told reporters that while there had also been much progress in restoring water supplies there were still problems including mechanical issues, external power outages and infrastructure damage.
“The situation as it stands now, we had 631 systems disrupted with 132 currently active giving you the grand total of 763,” he said, noting however, that the system brought back into operations are the largest systems.
He said 65 per cent of customers have been restored “because the systems brought back into activity are indeed our largest systems,” he said. (CMC)
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