As Hurricane Melissa loomed over Jamaica, Cuban neurologist Mavis Aime Casamajor, residing in Montego Bay, turned on her camera to address her followers on her YouTube channel, "Life of a Cuban in Jamaica."
Despite her calm demeanor, her eyes betrayed a mix of concern and faith. "There's no stopping it," she remarked about the hurricane slowly advancing across the Caribbean with winds exceeding 125 miles per hour.
While Jamaican authorities, from Kingston to Negril, heightened their alerts, Mavis concluded her hospital shift, sharing her preparations with her audience.
She stocked up on water, bread, cookies, rice, and some chicken "just in case the power goes out." Recalling her time in Cuba, she remembered being left without electricity for 14 days after Hurricane Sandy. "I hope my family doesn't have to endure that again," she expressed.
Melissa, having reached Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, had already lashed the Dominican Republic with heavy rains and was moving towards eastern Cuba, where the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Granma, and Guantánamo remained under weather watch.
Meteorologists warned this could be the most powerful hurricane to hit Jamaica since records began, potentially surpassing the historic Hurricane Gilbert of 1988.
Amid this threat, the neurologist shared her anxiety for her loved ones: "My people are there, in the east... Cuba is already in misery and calamity, and this will only add to their burden."
In between weather updates, Mavis spoke of everyday concerns, including her fear for her son Angelo, who was mobilized with a hotel maintenance brigade to face the hurricane's impact; the tree threatening to fall on her house; and her hope to celebrate her birthday on Friday, even if it meant "celebrating soaked by rain, submerged in the hurricane."
Before signing off, she showed the blue skies of Jamaica, expressing hope the hurricane would weaken. "Material things can be replaced; life cannot. I pray to God for mine and for all Cubans, wherever they may be."
In her testimony, Mavis not only voiced her fear of Melissa but also highlighted the invisible bond connecting those who have emigrated with the island they left—an enduring mix of nostalgia, resilience, and hope that no hurricane can erase.
Understanding Hurricane Melissa's Impact
What preparations did Mavis Aime Casamajor make for Hurricane Melissa?
Mavis stocked up on essential supplies such as water, bread, cookies, rice, and chicken to prepare for potential power outages.
Why does Mavis feel anxious about Hurricane Melissa?
Mavis feels anxious because of the potential devastating impact on both Jamaica and her homeland, Cuba, which is already in a state of hardship.
How did Hurricane Melissa compare to past hurricanes in Jamaica?
Meteorologists warned that Hurricane Melissa could become the most powerful storm to hit Jamaica since records began, surpassing the notable Hurricane Gilbert of 1988.