PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Members of Philadelphia's Jamaican community are rallying to collect supplies and funds for the island nation after Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica, leaving widespread destruction in its wake.

The powerful storm, which made landfall Tuesday, ripped roofs off homes, flooded streets, and reduced entire neighborhoods to rubble. In Kingston, a transformer exploded, sending sparks across water-soaked roads.

"People are kind-hearted and they want to help," said Christopher Chaplin, Jamaica's Honorary Consul in Philadelphia. Chaplin is working to support the city's estimated 30,000 Jamaican residents, helping them connect with family and resources back home.

"A lady who had built her house, lives in Philadelphia , and it got flattened, so she's trying to find

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