Jamaica’s ‘Ground Zero’: Assessing the Devastation in Black River After Hurricane Melissa

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness has described the town of Black River as the nation’s “ground zero” for destruction following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa. The storm’s ferocious 185 mph (295 km/h) winds made landfall on Tuesday, directly hitting the port town on the island’s southwest coast.

Early reports indicate casualties, with authorities cautioning that a complete understanding of the storm’s toll will take time to ascertain. BBC Verify’s Nick Beake has been examining available footage and photographs to shed light on the widespread damage experienced by this community. The report includes insights and visual evidence of the storm’s destructive path.

Video by Meiying Wu

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