https://www.travelmarketreport.com/destinations/articles/jamaica-isnt-destroyed-tourism-and-resorts-rise-strong-after-hurricane-melissa


The Media Portrayal vs. Reality
On October 28th, the Category 5 hurricane made landfall in St. Elizabeth Parish, southwestern Jamaica. With gusts over 250 mph and sustained winds of 185 mph, Melissa was the strongest storm ever recorded on the island. It then turned northeast, passing Trelawny Parish between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios before moving off to sea. 

The next day, images and videos inundated our screens, with gut-wrenching footage from the community of Black River and other areas of St. Elizabeth, where the hurricane swept through the region. Many media outlets painted a picture that the whole island has been devastated. One headline read, “Hurricane Melissa tore a path of destruction across Jamaica”, and Jamaica’s Prime Minister declared the entire country a disaster area.

But in reality, much of Jamaica – the Caribbean’s third largest island at 146 miles long and roughly 4,200 square miles – was untouched by the hurricane. Instead, the storm caused pockets of damage, and the affected areas are now in various stages of recovery. Jamaica’s main resort areas – Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, and Negril – are open and eager to receive visitors.

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Do your own homework