Original article written by: Juboy
1. Mi haffi tell yuh straight — di morning after Hurricane Melissa pass, mi tek mi car and decide fi drive through MoBay fi see di damage fi miself. From mi start di journey, mi feel one mix-up a emotion…
like mi haffi brace fi wah mi eyes about fi witness.
But mi neva expect fi see so much silence, sorrow, an survival spirit all at once.
Yuh ever see yuh city look like a ghost town yet still have di sound of life echo from far? Dat a wah Montego Bay did feel like di day after Melissa.
2. Why Dis Matter – Di Real Pain Behind Di Storm
Every year hurricane season come, an we Jamaicans haffi get ready fi di worst. But truth be told — nuff a wi never truly ready, no matter how much tin food or battery wi buy.
Di storm neva haffi last long fi leave impact. Melissa bring more than rain and wind — she bring reminder seh wi island fragile, but wi spirit strong.
Inna MoBay, mi see people a sweep up mud, fix roof wid zinc an tarp, an even share likkle food wid dem neighbor. Cyaa deny it — di resilience deh deep inna Jamaican DNA.
3. Common Misconception
Plenty people tink seh when di hurricane done, di danger done too. Wrong move, mi friend.
After di storm, di real work start.
Road dem block, light gone, water supply mash up, an nuff people nuh have credit fi call family fi check in. Di panic nuh done wid di wind — it live on inna di uncertainty after.
4. Di Real Montego Bay Story — Wah Really Gwaan After Melissa
Mi drive from Rose Heights to Ironshore, an di scene tell story:
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Trees down pon every lane. Some a dem fall like giant soldier weh couldn’t stand di fight.
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Shop front dem mash up, signboard gone missing like dem tek flight.
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Taxi man dem park up, a reason under tree wid dem phone light, plan weh dem a do next.
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Di sea near Freeport still rough, wave a lick against wall like it vex fi something.
But amidst all a dat, mi see hope — likkle youth dem a help dem granny clean up yard, an community man a share water from one drum.
5. Why Wi Always Bounce Back – Deep Dive
Mi always wonder — how Jamaicans keep smiling after every disaster? A nuh ignorance. A strength.
Wi grow up wid di mindset seh “God will provide, man a soldier.”
Even di scientist dem coulda study wi resilience, caw wi nuh break easy. From Gilbert to Ivan to now Melissa — wi always build back.
“Wi cyaa stop di hurricane, but wi can control how wi recover,”
— one man tell mi down a Bogue Hill while him a fix him fence.
6. Real-Life Case Study – Miss Patsy From Glendevon
Miss Patsy, one vendor mi know from long time, tell mi seh di wind tek weh half a har roof. But guess wah? By evening, she deh pon di same corner under one umbrella a sell breadfruit and pear.
Mi ask her why she nuh rest, an she say:
“Juboy, hurricane cyaa stop life. Mi haffi feed mi pickney dem, mi haffi move on.”
Dis a di Jamaican mindset inna real time. Pain, yes — but purpose stronger.
7. Mistakes to Avoid After a Storm
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Nuh rush go out too early. Plenty live wire an deep pothole deh bout.
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Nuh drink untreated water. Some tank get contaminate wid salt or dirt.
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Nuh spread rumor pon WhatsApp. Mek sure di info come from legit source.
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Keep battery life fi emergency, not gossip.
8. Alternatives & Advice
If yuh area mash up bad, reach out to di local parish office or Jamaica Red Cross. Dem assist wid relief faster than yuh think.
If yuh nuh get hit hard, help di next man. Wi small island need unity more than ever after storm.
9. Action Plan / Quick Steps Fi Bounce Back
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Clean up yard an drain dem first. Prevent mosquito later.
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Document damage wid photo. Insurance or help agency ago ask fi proof.
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Link yuh neighbor. One broom sweep better than one hand.
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Stock up again – hurricane season nuh done till November, memba dat.
10. Conclusion / Encouragement
Mi drive roun’ MoBay an see destruction, yes — but mi also see strength weh cyaa drown. Hurricane Melissa test wi, but she nuh beat wi.
A so Jamaica stay — wi bend, but wi nuh bruk.
So when next storm come, nuh panic, nuh fight fi bread, just plan. Caw di same way di sea rough, di sun always rise again pon wi island.
11. Call to Action
Wha yuh see inna yuh community after Melissa? Drop it inna di comment section an share di story wid yuh bredren dem. Mek di world know seh Jamaicans always rise stronger dan di storm. 💪🇯🇲
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