Families anxious as Hurricane Melissa cuts contact

Sandra Godley said she could not contact her mum in Clarendon, Jamaica, for more than 48 hours

A singer has described her desperation as Hurricane Melissa has left her without contact with her mother in Jamaica for more than two days.

Sandra Godley, from Coventry, said she last spoke to her 84-year-old mother on Monday - she was told on Wednesday that she was ok, but has not spoken to her directly.

Forecasters believe the Category 5 storm could be the strongest hurricane ever to hit Jamaica, with winds of 175mph (282km/h).

Many families have not been able to talk to loved ones as wind and rain battered the island through the night, and one official said the destruction resembled "the scene of an apocalypse movie". Much of Jamaica is without electricity.

"I haven't spoken to her, I just want to hear her voice and know that she's alright," she said.

"Even as we said goodbye there was this thought of, 'Does that mean forever?'

"I had to shake myself into feeling hopeful that we'll speak on the other side."

The storm's centre has since passed over the island as it heads towards Cuba.

Sandra Godley was recognised in the King's New Year Honours last year for her charitable work in Coventry

Ms Godley, recently awarded an OBE for her charity work, said the time difference had made it difficult to keep in touch.

"All I can do is sit by the phone and wait. It's a time of worry and prayer, there's only so much we can do from over here," she said.

Her mother was staying in an area where there were power outages.

"Having been in a hurricane before in Jamaica when I was a young girl - I just remember the wind noise, it's pretty terrifying."

"Deep down there is that nervousness that things could be worse than I actually thought."

People inspect the damage after Hurricane Melissa made landfall, in Spur Tree, Manchester, Jamaica

Alisa Latty-Alleyne is the UK director of CBN, a Hereford-based charity that provides humanitarian aid.

She said she had not heard from her family since Tuesday evening, UK time.

"We've been sending messages in our family group," she said.

"Last night they were sending pictures of the winds becoming more and more forceful."

Matt Clarke has family out in the parish of Trelawny

Former Redditch United manager Matt Clarke has family out in the parish of Trelawny.

"They lost power at about 6pm UK time," he said.

"The phone lines are down, the internet's down; we've just not heard anything.

"We're just all waiting and praying that everybody's safe and made it through, which we believe they will have done."

Nikki Finlay-Mulligan and her family were evacuated to a hotel conference centre

Nikki Finlay-Mulligan from Much Wenlock is on holiday with her family in Negril, on the western side of Jamaica.

On Tuesday night they were evacuated to a conference centre to see the storm out, sleeping on sunbed mattresses with about 200 people.

She said there was no word of the storm when they booked or took their flight last week.

"Everything's been boarded up," she said.

"We've got no windows in the room that we're in... it's probably for the best, really.

"They're fully prepared - there's water and so on for at least three days to a week. I think it's the landslides that are the bigger issue that everyone is concerned about."

Images from Jamaica, shared by Heather Cummings, whose family are based in Stoke-on-Trent

Heather Reid grew up in Jamaica and now lives in Shifnal, but her brother Paul Gray is in Kingston.

"There's a weird roar, there's just a roaring, howling sound of the wind, the leaves are just blowing - it kind of causes some anxiety," he said.

"We remember [Storm] Gilbert 37 years ago, and that was quite bad, that was quite devastating for Jamaica - trees were down, power was out for weeks and it was a major setback for our country.

"If this is even probably worse than Gilbert, it'll be a lot of cause for anxiety and concern."

He said he had been helping to keep his mum safe, who also lives in Jamaica, by stocking up on food, tying down awnings and securing her roof.

"I am praying a lot - we are a God-fearing nation, so I am praying that there will be some divine intervention," he said.

Heather Cummings said Jamaica was "gutted"

Former media personality Heather Cummings lives in Kingston and fled her property after warnings of the storm and was able to keep in touch with her family in Stoke-on-Trent.

"The winds were really strong," she said.

"It felt like I was at a point of no return. There was nothing we could do."

Although she had experienced numerous hurricanes, including Gilbert, Ivan and Beryl, she said this was the "worst one I've ever seen".

"Jamaica was gutted," she added.

She said she was concerned about areas like St Elizabeth, which were still recovering from Hurricane Beryl almost a year ago.

"It's now flat. It's gutted. Flooded. Persons lost," she said.

'Still optimistic'

Birmingham-based Dr Beverley Lindsay OBE is the chair of the Association of Jamaican Nationals in the UK.

She said she had spoken to family and other people in Jamaica, reporting that most were "very optimistic" due to their faith.

"Most of my family are in Kingston and St Thomas, and fortunately that area was not badly damaged," she said.

"I know some have suffered devastatingly; they are still optimistic that they will come back and fight back."