Author: Steve Brown

KINGSTON, Jamaica – What’s in those fallen trees after Hurricane Beryl’s passage? For people like wood designer Mara Harding, they’re a valuable resource. On Thursday morning, as workers were dismantling a fallen sweetwood that was blocking traffic flow on Shortwood Road in St Andrew, Harding was one of several passersby who patiently waited for pieces of the tree. “I was driving by and saw some people cutting wood so I just grabbed a few,” Harding, founder of Malamaid Designs, told Observer Online. “This is the first sweetwood I’ve picked up – you don’t see that often.” Video: Tree felled by…

A driver navigates downed trees on Winston Jones Highway in Mandeville after Hurricane Beryl. (Photo by Casey Williams) July 4, 2024 KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has issued a “clear alert” to the public in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl. As a result, approximately 2,000 people are currently evacuated islandwide due to damage caused by the hurricane, with 100 evacuation shelters currently closed and 165 remaining in operation. The Jamaica Meteorological Service also noted that it had lifted the hurricane warning for the country. However, ODPEM…

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) has announced that all children and staff in its 50 public and private residential child care and safety homes are safe and secure following the passage of Hurricane Beryl on Wednesday. CPFSA CEO Laurette Adams-Thomas said in a statement Thursday: “Our management team and members of our Disaster Management Committee were gathered in the Emergency Operations Centre and monitored all child care facilities across the island throughout the storm, and we are pleased to report that all children in our care, and all of the dedicated staff who weathered…

Poco Loco Floating Bar was reported to have been damaged by Hurricane Beryl. July 4, 2024 SAINT ANNE, Jamaica — The recently opened Poco Loco Floating Bar, the first of its kind in Jamaica, has reportedly been damaged by Hurricane Beryl. Photos and video obtained by Observer Online after the Category 4 storm showed part of the roof of a bar in Ocho Rios caved in and part of the building collapsed. The facility opened in June of this year. Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett welcomed the $1 million investment into the tourism industry.…

July 4, 2024 St. Catherine, Jamaica — Police are denying reports that a decomposed body found on Port Henderson Road on Thursday morning is that of a man who was swept away by floodwaters after attempting to retrieve a football from a waterway. Police said officers were called to the scene at about 8.30am after finding the body in an advanced state of decomposition. Police say the body is in an advanced state of decomposition and is therefore unlikely to be that of the man who was swept away. He said an early…

July 4, 2024 KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Christopher Tufton, says at least three cases of carbon monoxide poisoning linked to the use of generators have been reported to the ministry. In light of the situation, the ministry, in a statement on Thursday, sought to remind the public about the proper use of generators and the necessary precautions to be taken to avoid damage caused by generator fuses. The ministry said in a statement that generators cannot be used indoors and should not be operated in enclosed spaces, and…

Former varsity player Paul “Tegat” Davis called for the return of former head coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore. Davis’ comments came following the resignation of Heimir Hallgrimsson on Sunday. Whitmore won 54 matches for the national team while playing under Brazil coach Rene Simoes, who succeeded Hallgrimsson two years ago. Hallgrimsson’s decision to step down was not entirely unexpected after his team suffered a third straight defeat on Sunday, a 3-0 loss to Venezuela in the final Copa group stage match in Austin, Texas. Davis, who also played for Jamaica in the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in France, believes Whitmore…

Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) July 4, 2024 Flights at Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) are scheduled to resume at 5 a.m. Friday. Airport officials told Observer Online on Thursday that the runway, terminal and other airport facilities were fine. The source also revealed that two engineers are currently on site assessing damage caused to part of the roof of the airport’s passenger boarding pier. Temporary repairs will reportedly be carried out to ensure operations run smoothly during the planned reopening. Read: Assessment carried out to expedite reopening of domestic airports Sangster…

If the Department of Labor cannot broker an agreement, JPS employees could walk away.* July 4, 2024 KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Public Service (JPS) has announced that it is currently conducting the necessary assessments to restore power supplies to those who lost power during the passage of Hurricane Beryl. On Wednesday, power companies reported that at least 65% of their customers were without electricity. In a post on its official social media pages on Thursday morning, JPS said it was working to restore connections as quickly as possible and asked customers to…

Traffic is light on the Mandela Highway heading towards Kingston ahead of Hurricane Beryl. (Photo by Joseph Wellington) July 4, 2024 KINGSTON, Jamaica — Normal operations at government ministries and agencies are expected to resume on Thursday following the passage of Hurricane Beryl. Public sector workers are also due to return to work today. The Government recognises that some staff may have been adversely affected by the storm and advises that those experiencing difficulties in the aftermath of the hurricane should speak to their supervisors. The announcement was made in a statement from…