In brief
In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, Sean Paul describes the challenges faced by Jamaica, emphasizing the traumatic experiences of children and the overwhelming scale of relief efforts required. The hurricane, a category five storm, resulted in significant destruction and loss of life, driving both Sean Paul and fellow artist Shaggy to coordinate aid and future fundraising efforts for the affected communities.
Jamaican music superstar Sean Paul has said the scale of the effort required to help people in the country is overwhelming after Hurricane Melissa devastated parts of the island last week.
The Grammy-winning reggae singer said the category five storm was very frightening, especially for my young kids. That's the first time they've seen trees dance like that and the wind move like that, he told BBC News. They're in shock still, and traumatised. And can you imagine the children who are in the epicentre of it? It feels like you're in the Middle Ages. Winds of up to 185mph (295 km/h) caused at least 28 deaths. Paul and his family were in the capital Kingston, while areas further west suffered the greatest damage.
He continued: It is really difficult to bear. We weren't hit in Kingston very hard, but it was frightening. And you're wondering, at any minute now is there going to be, you know, some tree that comes along and slaps your roof off? That happened to friends of mine in Montego Bay. They've lost their whole roof, and they're still in the trenches helping people there, making sure that food reaches and clothes reach [people]. Everybody's stuff is all muddied up and it's hard to think about something positive at this time.
Paul has pledged $50,000 (£38,000) to match donations to Food For The Poor Jamaica, and described the devastation as a very mind-blowing situation. After days and days of communication and trying to help out in different ways, on Saturday I broke down, he said.
He added, It's just the amount of energy it takes, and the depression that starts to set in, and then you have to shake yourself out of it because there's just so much to be done that we haven't even tipped the iceberg yet.
Sean Paul expressed concerns for areas still without light and the residents’ lack of awareness regarding available aid due to damaged communication lines. The situation remains dire, with reports of families, including 15 babies under three months old, in desperate conditions.
Fellow Jamaican music star, Shaggy, has also been co-ordinating aid efforts on the island, highlighting the emotional toll the disaster has taken on him and others involved in relief efforts. He emphasizes the need for help and the overwhelming nature of the devastation, with an effort underway to hold a concert to raise further funds for the victims.
