Deleene Clarke was in Winnipeg Tuesday afternoon, but her mind was set on her home town of Santa Cruz, Jamaica, where her parents were bracing themselves against raging wind and floodwater as hurricane Melissa delivered mass destruction to the island.

“I’m concerned, but I believe they are somewhat safe, if the house doesn’t tear down,” Clarke said about her 76-year-old father and mother, 71.

“I don’t think they were prepared by this level of what’s happening.”

Reports from Jamaica were grim Tuesday as the hurricane made landfall on the island’s southwestern shore, trapping families in their homes in the coastal community of Black River.

Clarke’s parents, who live less than 20 kilometres northeast of Black River, were similarly stuck as storm surge swamped the roads and left them no ro

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