JAMAICA — Hurricane Melissa left a trail of destruction across Jamaica—ripping down power lines, flattening homes, and cutting electricity to nearly the entire island.
Eversource Vice President of Safety Cliff Williams, who grew up in Jamaica and once worked on the island’s power grid, says the scope of the damage is unlike anything he’s seen.
“We just have never seen anything like this,” Williams said.
Williams still has family on the island and says utility crews are confronting devastation on every front.
“The toughest part for me is exactly that—being this far away and not being able to jump right in and start assisting immediately,” he said.
He’s realistic about the long road ahead.
“This is not a repair project; this is more of a rebuilding project,” Williams explained.
That work will be complicated by widespread infrastructure damage.
“The extent of the damage—to property, infrastructure, bridges—buildings just crumbling,” he said.
Through it all, Williams says the people of Jamaica remain strong.
“The people of Jamaica are resilient. They’re hard-working and kind-hearted folks, and they’re going to bond together and get through this.”
Williams also asked people to “continue to pray for the people of Jamaica” as communities begin the difficult recovery.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
