Jamaican community in Raleigh anxious as massive Hurricane Melissa approaches
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- On Monday, all eyes are on major Hurricane Melissa as it barrels towards Jamaica.
The category five storm is expected to unleash catastrophic flooding as well as devastating wind and storm surge on the island nation before heading towards Cuba and the Bahamas later this week.
ABC11 News spoke with Jamaicans living in the Triangle on Monday, many of whom are understandably concerned about what the storm, forecast to be the strongest to ever hit the island, means for their country.
"I'm just hoping for the best for the country. We really don't need this right now," said Juliet Palmer, who moved from Jamaica to the US in 1977.
Palmer's daughter owns Mum's Jamaican Restaurant on Capital Boulevard in Raleigh, where the TVs were fixed to news coverage of the major storm on Monday afternoon.
"Little apprehensive about everything," Palmer said. "I feel sad sometimes because I know if it's going to be bad. You know, a lot of people are going to be, you know, like have to be repairing their homes. Roofs are gone and so on."
Owners Sherine and Shawn Lewis were both born in Jamaica and opened Mum's in Raleigh about 10 years ago. For Palmer, there's concern for family and friends across the country, especially after Hurricane Beryl last year.
"They are healing from Beryl and then this comes along. So I'm just hoping for the best," she said.
Raleigh resident Shedene McDonald is the daughter of Jamaican immigrants and was there earlier this month for her sister's wedding. McDonald was set to return this week and spoke with ABC11 from Miami after her cruise got diverted.
"They're just waiting," McDonald said. "Like right now they're OK, but they're not sure what tomorrow morning may bring because she's supposed to be landing tonight, or between tonight and tomorrow. So it's just a waiting period. So anxious, nervous."
McDonald said her family is boarding up and bracing for the storm as best as they can.
"My grandfather's house is actually by the water. So the back of his house is by the water. So basically preparing and boarding up the back to try to prevent any flooding and flooding in the house and so forth," she said.
