LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A Las Vegas restaurant owner spent sleepless hours checking on more than 50 family members in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa, a deadly Category 5 storm, made landfall Tuesday.
Oniel Smith, owner and chef of House of Dutch Pot near Durango Drive and Flamingo Road, said he has been in constant contact with relatives as the strongest storm of the year slammed the Caribbean.
“I was up all night, just constantly checking in, calling, texting,” Smith said. “Put it like this. I ain’t sleep yet.”
Family shelters others during storm
Smith’s cousin lost power early Tuesday morning, forcing brief phone conversations to conserve her phone battery. Through her window, Smith could see the storm’s impact on the island where he grew up.
His family members, who Smith said live outside the flood zone, have opened their homes to neighbors seeking shelter as the storm ravaged the island.
“One thing I could tell you about my island, divided we fall, united we stand. There are so many people helping out their neighbors,” Smith said. “We are all about it. We’re giving back. We’re going to give back. Whoever gets to stay there until everything is good.”
Infrastructure concerns echo official warnings
The destruction of Jamaica weighs heavily on Smith’s mind. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness warned about the storm’s unprecedented strength.
“There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5,” Holness said Monday. “The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge.”
Smith acknowledged the massive rebuilding effort ahead.
“It’s going to take an entire nation, an entire country for us to try to put this together,” he said.
Local relief efforts begin
Despite the challenges, Smith remains optimistic about Jamaica’s recovery.
“We will bounce back. I can tell you that much,” he said.
Starting Tuesday, Smith began accepting donations at House of Dutch Pot. He is asking for canned food and clothes, committing to get the supplies to Jamaica as soon as possible.
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