Long Island Residents Anxiously Await News from Family in Jamaica During Hurricane Melissa

Community Concern Amidst Hurricane Melissa

• 💡 Long Island residents with family in Jamaica are experiencing anxious waiting as Hurricane Melissa approaches.
• 🎯 Baldwin, Nassau County, is highlighted as a community with a significant West Indian population, many of whom are directly impacted.

Personal Stories of Fear and Uncertainty

• 😟 Omar Kerr, a cook at Tropical Jerk restaurant, moved to the US last year and has nearly 50 relatives in western Jamaica facing the storm.
• 😨 He expressed extreme fear, stating he has never experienced a Category 5 hurricane before.
• 💔 Serenia Stewart, a lab tech from Bayshore, is particularly worried about her 73-year-old mother, who is alone in northern Jamaica after her husband's recent death.
• 🔌 Stewart mentioned that electricity and internet service are out, making communication with her mother extremely difficult.

Impact on Tourism and Local Businesses

• 🏨 The Travelers Beach Resort in Negril has lost power and is operating on a backup generator for its 30 guests and staff.
• ⚠️ Guests are being asked to shelter in place in their rooms, with the lobby serving as a temporary safe area.
• 🌬️ Winthrop Wellington, co-owner of the resort and a Freeport, Long Island native, described the conditions in Negril as very extreme and consistent, especially the wind.
• ✅ The good news reported is that everyone at the hotel is safe, including guests from various nationalities and a woman from Flatbush, Brooklyn.