Facing the storm: Port Royal residents brace for Hurricane Melissa

Residents of the historic coastal town of Port Royal worked to secure boats and homes on Sunday, 26 October as Hurricane Melissa churned toward Jamaica, bringing fears of flooding and powerful storm surge.

Men hauled fishing boats from the marina and stacked cinder blocks atop roofs, while others fortified windows and doorways with sandbags and wooden planks.

Local police spoke with residents as they made final preparations across the low-lying area once known as the “wickedest city on Earth.”

Despite the warnings, some residents chose to stay put.

“No, I'm here every year now. I don't worry when the hurricane is coming,” said Douglas Butler, a local boat captain.

“I just take things easy. As long as I have my food, I can eat. That is the most important thing.”

Others, like born and raised resident Edgerton Brown, expressed concern about flooding but said the community’s natural reef provides some comfort.

“The water is a concern,” Brown said.

“But we have a great reef out there that protects the shore. In case there’s a surge, the reef will break that water in half.”

Authorities warned of potentially catastrophic flooding and a high storm surge as Hurricane Melissa continues to intensify into a Category 5 system for late Sunday, packing sustained winds of more than 155 miles per hour as it moves closer to Jamaica’s southern coast.

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