A retired couple who moved to Jamaica to live out their island dreams have not been heard from after Hurricane Melissa ripped off the roof of their house.
Richard and Dianne Kitching moved to the island from Ontario and have endured hurricanes before, but their family said the devastation of Hurricane Melissa is unlike anything they’ve experienced.
Jason and Jeanine Kitching, the couple’s son and daughter-in-law, told Canadian news outlet CTV News that they lost communication with the retirees on Tuesday.
‘It was quite a frantic call at that time,’ Jason told the outlet.
‘They were underneath the house because the roof had blown off already, and all the windows had been blown out.’
Jason said his parents were hiding underneath a concrete porch and were later going to attempt to reach a nearby cinder block bunker.
Within 90 minutes, the couple told their son that the winds had increased dramatically, and the phone went dead.
For days, Jeanine and Jason have been waiting with bated breath to hear if Richard and Diane are safe.
Richard and Dianne Kitching (pictured) moved to Jamaica from Canada after they retired and recently endured the destruction of Hurricane Melissa
Hurricane Melissa was named a Category 5 hurricane, one of the strongest to ever hit the region (Pictured: An aerial view of Black River, Jamaica after the storm)
The couple’s son, Jason (pictured), told Canadian news outlet CTV, that he was on the phone with his parents on Tuesday when they lost service, and he hasn’t heard from them since
‘To know if they have food, if they have water, if they have a place to rest their heads — like we just don’t know,’ Jeanine told CTV.
Despite the grim situation, Jeanine and Jason are holding out hope that Richard and Dianne have made it to safety.
Jason praised his dad’s resourcefulness, and Jeanine said that if anyone can get through it, it’s Richard.
A GoFundMe was launched for Richard and Dianne, who have been living off their pensions and savings, according to the description.
‘We have not yet been able to make contact, but we know the destruction will be extensive and devastating,’ the description read.
‘We are raising funds to help them rebuild their home, replace essential belongings, and restore their livelihood after this catastrophic event.’
Hurricane Melissa is the first Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic to make landfall in six years.
Hurricane Melissa has devastated Jamaica and Haiti, with officials estimating that it could take years for people to recover (Pictured: A satellite image of the storm as of 5 pm Thursday)
‘The devastation is heartbreaking. Hours of extreme winds and powerful storm surge, combined with days of torrential rainfall, destroyed thousands of homes and businesses. Lives have been turned upside down by this storm,’ AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said.
Porter added that businesses may be shut down for weeks, months, or even years, and some may never recover from the catastrophic impacts.
Jamaican Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information Dana Morris Dixon said at a news conference on Friday that the country had never seen a Category 5 hurricane before and the devastation was ‘unimaginable.’
As of Friday morning, at least 19 people in Jamaica died as a result of the hurricane, according to Dixon.
AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said the people of Jamaica endured extreme winds and torrential rainfall for hours (Pictured: Damaged property in Treasure Beach, Jamaica, on Thursday)
At least 19 individuals in Jamaica and 30 people in Haiti have died due to Hurricane Melissa as of Friday afternoon, according to local officials (Pictured: Devastation on the streets in Santa Cruz, Jamaica)
At least 30 additional individuals were killed in Haiti as the death toll rose to almost 50 people, according to local officials.
There’s still a communication break in the region, but the Jamaican government issued an all-clear on Friday for agencies to start recovering the island.
Utility companies, telecommunications providers, and other critical service entities have been authorized to restore power, water, and communications to Jamaica.
Grocery stores, gas stations, and pharmacies have also been encouraged to reopen if possible, according to the Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica.
