As Hurricane Melissa churns in the Caribbean, Tallahassee residents with roots on the island are staying strong and “prayed up” for their loved ones who are bracing themselves for what forecasters warn could be one of the strongest storms of the season and a historic blow for the island nations.
On West Tennessee Street, Marlene French who operates the food truck Jamaican Paradise says her brothers and sisters back home are already experiencing heavy rain and flooding.
“I think it’s going to be a big one,” French says. “If they get the hurricane it’s going to be really bad, all we can do is pray about it.”
Jamaican Paradise on West Tennessee St.
According to USA TODAY reports, through Sunday night Melissa is expected to bring 8 to 14 inches of rain to the southern Dominican Republic, southern Haiti, and eastern Jamaica. The peninsula, along with Jamaica, are under a hurricane warning.
By early next week, Melissa is expected to move near or just south of Jamaica as a Category 4 storm that is expected to cause “life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides.”
French says her siblings are preparing as best as they can, gathering food and water. Despite all the uncertainty, she’s found peace with the reality that “if it’s going to come, it’s going to come.”
However, this one just feels a little different.
“They’re really scared about this hurricane,” Williams says about recent conversations she’s had with family.
Stacey Williams owner of local food truck Yardie’s Caribbean Cuisine located on North Macomb Street shares the same concern but says she refuses to panic.
Tropical Storm Melissa rapidly strengthens at 5 p.m. Oct. 24 with a forecast of hitting Category 4 strength before slamming into Jamaica.
“We’re good, we’re used to this,” Williams said with confidence in an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat. “We stay prayed up.”
Her prayers for Jamaica right now: “The storm doesn’t do a lot of damage. If possible, no damage at all.”
Williams says she has been in communication with family back home primarily through messaging service WhatsApp.
“They’re getting ready. We as islanders, when we get in a hurricane we buckle down. We do what we need to do,” she says.
Williams says her family is getting water, charging everything and “all the (other) necessary stuff to get on.”
Both French and Williams say that their biggest concern is the aftermath, because once the storm hits “you’re on your own.”
“In Jamaica, they don’t have shelters and stuff like that. It’s not like America where they help you after a disaster,” Williams says.
They say Tallahassee can help most in the aftermath by donating to relief organizations and finding ways to send food, tools and other resources to support rebuilding.
Until then, they will keep their phones close and send their prayers to help them weather the storm.
This article includes previously reported information. Kyla A. Sanford covers dining and entertainment for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at ksanford@tallahassee.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee families pray for loved ones as Melissa nears Jamaica