An Anglican priest describes a Kingston relief mission to St Peter’s Church Hall in Pedro Plains after Hurricane Beryl, where lines outgrew the hall, and notes that restoring roofs and housing will take far longer than meeting daily needs.

Hurricane Beryl left Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Carriacou with only a sanctuary wall and tore the roof from St Patrick’s in Hillsborough. Grenada’s bishop said the real task was rebuilding people’s lives as well as buildings.

While Beryl knocked out power across much of Black River in July 2024, the Black River Safari emerged unscathed, thanks to proper construction and pre-storm preparation. The contrast with the surrounding town offers a clear lesson about building standards and property resilience.

Hurricane Beryl’s direct hit on Jamaica’s south coast in July 2024 exposed the structural vulnerability of housing in St Elizabeth, particularly in coastal communities around Black River and Parottee. The damage patterns told a consistent story about building standards, land tenure and the limits of informal construction.

A St Elizabeth congregation whose wooden church was flattened by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 rebuilt in cement. When Hurricane Beryl struck in 2024, the three-storey building took only minor damage, even as members’ homes were hit hard.

Hurricane Beryl tore the roof off the two-storey Carriacou Church of Christ in Grenada, while most of its roughly 30 regular worshippers lost roofs or entire homes, as regional churches and a Kingston preaching school mobilised to help.

Subject: Hurricane Beryl AdvisoryDate: Wed 3 July 2024Location: JamaicaCurrent Status: Hurricane WarningJamaica is currently under a Hurricane Warning due to Hurricane Beryl.…

Living in Jamaica means enjoying its beautiful landscapes and vibrant culture, but it also requires being prepared for hurricane season. With the…