Hurricane Melissa survivors in St Elizabeth welcome New Year’s fireworks

Residents across St Elizabeth, still reeling from Hurricane Melissa’s destruction, are finding a brief respite in the New Year’s fireworks show being staged in Black River by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC).

Dalarene Morgan of Fyffes Pen, who remains without electricity and is living under a tarpaulin, said the event offered a temporary reprieve from the stress of rebuilding her home.

“I don’t have any electricity since the hurricane,” Morgan said. “It’s kind of difficult. I lost partially everything. I am living under a tarpaulin right now, but I am making some efforts to get the roof back on.”

She said rebuilding has been slow and financially draining, reflecting the experience of many households across the parish.

“The roof alone costs over $2 million to put it on. We started the process, but it’s kind of hard. It takes a lot, but we are getting there,” she said.

Morgan admitted the emotional strain has been heavy since the storm.

“The fireworks lifted my spirit because honestly, I am stressed. I feel so down. Even today I was just left in tears, just thinking back on everything,” she said. “This is very good - it lifts the spirit of the people going into the New Year with a brighter look.”

Similarly, Phillip Clarke, a farmer from Black River, said the music and festivities along the town’s waterfront provided a brief emotional escape from the grief and hardship that have defined his life since the storm battered the south coast.

“The sea actually came over the road and came into our house,” Clarke recalled. The rushing waters destroyed his home, damaged two vehicles, and claimed the life of his brother. “We knew it was serious, but I never knew it would do so much damage,” he said.

Clarke joined hundreds of residents at the UDC’s inaugural Fireworks Festival, organized to revive morale and stimulate economic activity in the historic town. “I heard the music and decided to come down,” he said, noting that basic services remain strained. “The ATM machines are out of money. I can’t even buy a beer for myself.” Yet he welcomed the gesture. “I guess the UDC and everybody else are sorry for us and are trying to cheer us up.”

Recovery remains daunting as Clarke estimates that roof repairs could cost between $4 million and $5 million, forcing his family to rely on tarpaulins for shelter.

However, both residents remain hopeful. “I am hoping I get my roof on and my house back together,” Morgan said of her plans for the New Year. Clarke added, “Psychologically, I am bouncing back. My plan for 2026 is to go back into my farming.”

St Elizabeth was among the hardest-hit parishes when Hurricane Melissa swept across Jamaica in October, killing at least 45 persons and leaving widespread flooding, roof damage, power outages.

- Albert Ferguson

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