Community unity across Manchester following Beryl

Amid destruction and displacement caused by Hurricane Beryl, this did not dampen the community spirit among residents in Manchester.

The hurricane left a trail of downed trees, blocked roads and damage to property across communities.

Most in-season crops have also been destroyed. 

A visit to areas such as Mandeville, Windsor Forest, Farm, Mount Oliphant, and Manningsfield saw residents and members of the security forces coming together to clear roads and assist those in need.

“Mi deh a road from early this morning to start help my community with the cleanup so that car can drive on the main road so we get some movements in deh place,”Devon Hall, a resident of Mount Oliphant, told The Gleaner.

Residents used their own equipment and machines to contribute to the cleaning up of their areas. 

Mining giant Jamalco, through the use of its service vehicles, also contributed to the recovery efforts.

Despite the turmoil, one resident from Manningsfield, who prepared for the worst, felt somewhat at ease in the aftermath of the destructive storm. 

Precautionary measures taken by locals mitigated potential harm and damage to the property, using enforcement to safeguard as much as they can.

“Well, I basically made sure that there were no loose obstacles around the house and kept everything locked up. Made sure everybody was inside early enough to avoid all the weather,” said  Richard Scafe.

Scafe decided to do a little barbecue at his shop for the local community, demonstrating resilience and community spirit in the face of adversity.

“I'm trying to do the right thing here, just keeping everybody safe and doing the best we can to help. So right now, we are just doing a little get-together after the storm to eat some lunch. It's a part of the clean-up, so when people pass by they can stop and get something to eat and drink if anything is available,” Scafe added.

This gesture highlighted the community spirit among residents and a drive to collectively rebuild.

- Natrawn Wright

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