Tree surgeons join clean-up in devastated Jamaica

The team from DART International UK at work clearing fallen trees

A team of tree surgeons has gone to hurricane-ravaged Jamaica to clear fallen trees to ensure vital supplies get to those in need.

They are part of Exeter-based DART International UK, a volunteer humanitarian response team which helping to clean up the Caribbean country after Hurricane Melissa made landfall as a category five storm last month.

Winds reaching up to 185mph (297km/h) caused widespread devastation across the island and left dozens dead.

"Trees have blocked roads, landed on houses and brought down power lines - it's almost impossible to find one still standing," said team member Johnny Fuller, from Chagford.

Mr Fuller said many Jamaicans had been left isolated with little food, no power or running water, and no idea of when life would return to normal.

"The population has been hammered by this storm," he said, adding many were still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Beryl in July 2024, which killed several and forced more than 1,000 to evacuate to shelters.

"We've got so much work to do here, and factors like intense heat, dehydration and mosquitos are making it even harder."

Hurricane Melissa has left the country in a state of chaos

Fellow volunteer and firefighter Louie Brown, from Exeter, described the sights he had witnessed since arriving in the country.

"There are people everywhere holding signs saying, 'No food, no water, please help'," he said.

"But we just have to drive past because we don't have the resources to do anything for them.

"We've just got to reach the frontlines and try to get the supply chain lines reopened."

Currently based on the coastline of Treasure Beach, he said he and his fellow tree surgeons and arborists were soon to move nearly 80 miles to a town called Crawford, which has been "more or less cut off".

"It's seen a phenomenal amount of damage, with lots of trees down," he said.

"But, despite all that, the people we meet seem very resilient and still have smiles on their faces.

"They say to us, 'Jamaica will rise again' - it's an amazing thing."