Donations for Hurricane Melissa victims being collected in Tampa
TAMPA - Police report at least 14 people have died in Jamaica, and they expect the death toll to keep rising. More than 13,000 people remained crowded into shelters, with 72% of the island without power Thursday and only 35% of mobile phone sites in operation.
What we know:
Wesley Chapel residents Kyla and Lazarus Somerville are trapped in a hotel room in Jamaica, where they had been attending a birthday party for a relative. "A lot of us took shelter in the bathroom just to be safe," said Kyla Somerville, "especially for the glass doors that we have on our balconies."
Their hotel is on a backup generator. "But they did let us know that they are running low on diesel," she said, "and that they're trying as hard as they can to get the roads cleared to get more of it here."
What they're saying:
The effort to get supplies to Jamaica is taking shape in Tampa Bay. "When Beryl hit last year," said Evie Larmond of the Caribbean Community Association, "people are still recovering from it. So with this, it's a double-triple quadruple whammy on it."
Jerk Hut on Fowler Ave. is acting as a staging ground for supplies. Everything from personal hygiene items to canned food, to cleaning supplies are being gathered by the Caribbean Community Association. "It doesn't matter how bad the hurricane is, we know we're going to rise. We know we are going to fight this, and together we are going to get through," Larmond said.
People who have heard from relatives say that while most houses seemed to make it through, albeit with roof damage, the infrastructure is in the worst shape. Hospitals have been ruined, and their tourist economy is in shambles. "That's going impact long-term funding to the island, which we rely on, tourism for dollars, and to rebuild the infrastructure," said Francis Joseph of the Caribbean American National Development Organization.
Rhianna Clarke, a student at USF, said her neighborhood in St. Elizabeth in Jamaica, where her family still lives, is decimated. She says they need a host of supplies. "We have to utilize our resources, and utilize what we have until then," said Clarke. "And (we have to) hope that the aid will reach us soon. We are in a rural community, so there is not a lot we can do besides wait."
What you can do:
Supplies are being collected at Jerk Hut, a restaurant at 1241 E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa. The effort is being spearheaded by the Caribbean Community Association and the Caribbean American National Development Organization.
They are asking for canned food, medical supplies, personal hygiene products and cleaning equipment. They are not asking for clothing and bottled water.
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Supplies can be dropped off for the next several weeks, as they will be taking supplies to organizing hubs for them to be sorted and then shipped.
It is not clear as to how long it will take for supplies to reach Jamaica.
The Source: Information for this story came from interviews conducted by Fox 13's Evan Axelbank and the Associated Press.