Copyright Newsweek
Hurricane Melissa ripped the roof off of a building at the Savanna La Mar Public General Hospital in Jamaica as the storm raged across the island on Tuesday. The hospital is part of the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) in Westmoreland. Newsweek reached out to the WRHA by email for comment. Why It Matters Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as an extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained wind speeds of 185 mph. The storm is the strongest hurricane to hit Jamaica in the island's history. As of the most recent update from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), maximum sustained wind speeds for Melissa have fallen to 150 mph, which is a high-end Category 4 hurricane. The storm has killed at least seven people in the Caribbean. The NHC stressed that Melissa is a very dangerous storm currently over northwestern Jamaica. "THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION!" NHC said in a message about the storm. "Residents should not leave their shelter and should remain in place through the passage of these life-threatening conditions." What to Know On Tuesday afternoon, local news source Jamaica Gleaner posted a video on X showing the storm ripping the roof off the hospital building. "A roof was completely torn off a building at a section of the Savanna La Mar Public General Hospital due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa," the post said. "The system made landfall earlier today near New Hope district in Westmoreland, Jamaica." The video shows extremely strong winds ripping the roof off the building in one piece. It is unclear whether anyone was in the building at the time or whether there were any injuries or fatalities. Savanna La Mar Public General Hospital is the only public hospital in Westmoreland Parish. The facility services 150,000 residents, according to a report from the Jamaica Gleaner from July, and also accepts patients from Hanover, St. Elizabeth, and St. James parishes. On Sunday, WRHA urged family members to pick up their relatives who were able to safely recover at home from hospitals across the region. "We are urging family members to act quickly and responsibly by collecting loved ones who are medically fit for discharge. This will help us ensure that our hospitals remain adequately equipped to manage any storm-related emergencies and maintain the highest standard of care for those who need it most,” WRHA Regional Director St. Andrade Sinclair said at the time of the announcement. Last week, Jamaican Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Christopher Tufton said that 75 percent of Jamaica's health facilities were equipped with generators with fuel reserves capable of sustaining for 72 hours in an emergency. What People Are Saying The Jamaica Observer in a post on Facebook: "A section of the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital in Westmoreland suffered severe damage after Hurricane Melissa tore off its roof earlier today. The powerful Category 5 system made landfall near the New Hope district, unleashing destructive winds and heavy rainfall across Jamaica’s western parishes. Emergency teams are assessing the damage as conditions remain dangerous." NHC in a message about Hurricane Melissa: "To protect yourself from wind, the best thing you can do is put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. An interior room without windows, ideally one where you can also avoid falling trees, is the safest place you can be in a building. you can cover yourself with a mattress and wear a helmet for added protection." What Happens Next People in Jamaica should stay in their shelter until the storm passes. Hurricane Melissa will make landfall in eastern Cuba overnight before taking aim at the Bahamas.
