SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — U.N. officials said Thursday that Hurricane Melissa flung nearly 5 million tons of debris across western Jamaica last week and warned it is preventing crews from delivering aid and restoring critical services quickly.

The amount of debris would fill some 480,000 standard truckloads, according to the United Nations Development Program.

“We need to act fast because delay means blocked roads, vital services at a standstill, lost income and increased suffering,” said Kishan Khoday, the agency's representative in Jamaica.

Local government officials said Thursday that the storm ripped the roofs off 120,000 structures when it struck last week, affecting some 90,000 families in the island’s western region.

More than 180 shelters remain open, with 2,487 people livin

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