Some hurricane Dean pix

[malaise]

These are from Kingston and St Andrew, parts of St Catherine and Long bay Portland.
http://picasaweb.google.com/uvesedwards/DeanWasMean/photo#s5100899668576884450

[SoCalDem]

1. Great pics.. Boy what a MESS!

I hope you did not sustain much damage :hug:

[malaise]

4. We didn't even have a drop of water indoors

Some of our friends in the hills and near the sea weren't so lucky. Actually only the pix from Caribbean Terrace and Long Bay represent badly hit areas. Some other coastal areas are much worse. People in the hills lost a lot of roofs and trees but coastal people lost everything.

[Bluebear]

2. Horrific damage!

I would say the US should offer assistance but I don't think you want things worse.

[malaise]

5. US Aid already sent

a massive aircraft load of assistance on Wednesday. We've also received help from Spain, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, Britain, Brazil, Barbados, Cuba and others.

[Suich]

3. Thanks for the photos, malaise!

Where did people go when they evacuated? Were there shelters set up?

[malaise]

6. We had 5,000 shelters

and buses went for everyone. Of course some people refused to move since we don't have mandatory evacuation. None of the six deaths took place in the worst hit areas. People learnt from Gilbert and Ivan, but some still worry about looters moving in when they move out.

[RB TexLa]

7. We don't have forced evacuation in the US either. Mandatory evacuation just means

there will be no services provided to the area. A property owner can force people to evacuate. I could make people evacuate an apartment complex I own but property owners can't be forcible evacuated. If a property owner has not given notice to tenants that she or he wants the property evacuated tenants have the same right to say if they choose.

[malaise]

9. The thing is the Office of Disaster Preparation

sends dozens of buses but people refuse to leave their homes. Then in the middle of the hurricane the fire brigade and police usually risk their lives to save them. We had 17 fishermen who refused to leave the Pedro Cays. Eventually the Coast Guard allowed them to shelter in their facilities. Of course when they started to scream for help, no helicopters pilots were going to rescue them. Well they lived through the horror and now have another survival tale to tell their grandchildren.



Imagine staying on those banks for hurricane Dean. Some men and women are lucky.

[kdmorris]

13. OMG, people stayed out there??

They are REALLY lucky!

[kdmorris]

8. Glad to see you are alright

Thanks for the pics! That's some serious damage there.

[malaise]

10. The Kingston airport road covered in sand in a few of those pix

was cleared on Wednesday. Power company workers were replacing light poles today. Those guys are amazing.

[kdmorris]

12. Wow. I envy you!

We still have damage here from Hurricane Wilma, and the gulf coast still hasn't been cleaned up, almost exactly 2 years later.

When you go by, give them a thumbs up and a big wave. The power guys were our heroes after all the hurricanes in 2004 and 2005. Our power was turned after Frances and Jeanne (2004) by some company from Ohio, and after Wilma, by some company in Alabama. I made sure I told them how much I appreciated it!!

[malaise]

14. Lots of us take drinks for them

especially chilled coconut water. This started during Gilbert since ice was hard to find. It's amazing how many people stop by and give them drinks. A group of us went out to the airport today and took some coconut water for them. Others arrived with pepsi and so on. The know we love them. 60% of power is back but that's no fun to the 40% without power.

Funny things appear to be back to normal but people are well stressed out after that experience and in some areas people are totally dependent on hand outs.

[kdmorris]

16. That was one thing that they always refused

Said we needed the ice and cold water more. They were supplied with big tubs of ice water from whomever was paying them.

Of course, there's a lot more of my country that wasn't affected by a hurricanes than yours!

[malaise]

17. Ours aren't that lucky

and sharing, particularly in times of crisis, is part of the culture.

[Beaverhausen]

11. Oh my god! Those are horrific

The pics where the sun is shining are the saddest, because you can tell how beautiful it had been there.

I'm sure it will be again, but for now, my prayers to those cleaning up!

Glad you are OK!

[malaise]

15. That's our favourite holiday spot these days

Frenchman's cove, San San beach, the original Jerk chicken area in Boston and St Margaret's Bay in Portland are a lot less 'touristy' so it's a complete escape. Only tourists who don't want to see too many tourists head for Portland :D. That beach in Long bay had some lovely restaurants. As you can see though, men were already rebuilding their restaurants. No doubt city folk will be driving out to see the damage come tomorrow, so they'd better have the food ready to make some money for the rebuilding effort.

Quakers from England and the USA had a significant presence in this area around emancipation. They started several schools in both the parishes of Portland and St Mary.

[uppityperson]

18. kick again, hi malaise, and here are some pre/post picts of Mahahual

http://stormcarib.com/reports/current/mexico.shtml
go partway down page, some pre-pictures, then newspapers with photos post.

I just found this thread and wanted to kick it back up. How's it going for you? Best wishes to all.

[windbreeze]

19. WOW...hoping you fared better than some of these pictures show..

Thank you for showing them...been wondering if you were ok...wb