Five days after Hurricane Melissa pummelled into western Jamaica with record force, residents in devastated communities along the coast are still desperately waiting for help.
Many of the roads are blocked by debris and people are isolated with little food, no power or running water, and no idea of when normalcy will return.
The government said on Saturday that at least 28 people in Jamaica have died since the hurricane hit as a monster category five storm with 185 mph (297km/h) sustained winds.
That represents a nearly 50% jump in the death toll overnight, and the number could rise as officials clear their way into new parts of the island in the coming days.
Local official Dr Dayton Campbell confirmed to the BBC that 10 of those deaths occurred in Westmoreland, one of the hardest hit areas.
A long stretch of road heading west into Westmoreland Parish winds through a graveyard of trees – stacks of branches and limbs, cracked and twisted, blanketing the landscape for miles. It is grim evidence of Hurricane Melissa's ferocity - the strongest storm to strike the Caribbean island in modern history.
Residents, including those in Whitehouse—an essential coastal town—are voicing their frustrations regarding the delayed aid. Gary Williams, a local, lamented the unmet promises of arrival for much-needed assistance and noted, we have nowhere to live. I might have to sleep right where I am.
With approximately 400,000 Jamaican citizens reported to be without power, and widespread communication outages, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has reassured citizens that the immediate goals are to clear debris and restore essential services. Moreover, foreign aid is beginning to permeate into affected areas, including support from the US State Department and the UK.
Despite the bleak circumstances, residents are determined to hold onto hope, finding strength in their community to move forward.
