Author: Kera

A firefighter in Westmoreland is counting her blessings after losing everything to Hurricane Melissa last week, even as she worked tirelessly to save others in the storm’s path. When the category 5 hurricane swept across the parish on Tuesday, firefighter Kimarie Drummond was on duty at the Savanna-la-Mar station. While others sought shelter, she was out responding to calls and witnessing the strong wind tossing sheets of zinc off several structures. “I was at work because I had a shift before Melissa,” she recalled. She added that she said a short prayer to God, pleading with him to spare her…

A 16-year-old Iowa girl is hospitalised after being shot in the face by her mother’s boyfriend. The teen’s chin, according to her mother, was split open after suspect Kevin Fajardo opened fire inside their apartment on Hubbell Avenue in Des Moines. The distraught mother, Jacorra Jones, explained that the attack came on the heels of his threatening to take revenge for an unclear motive. According to Jones, the events unfolded suddenly on a Sunday night in late October. She said her 28-year-old partner appeared to be under the influence before the shooting incident. Jones explained that her relationship with Fajardo…

A fire in Kingston has destroyed several homes, leaving dozens homeless. While Jamaica is still reeling from monster Hurricane Melissa, a devastating fire has destroyed over 10 houses at 8 Heroes Circle along Stephenson Street on Sunday. The massive fire, which was captured in videos by onlookers, turned the tight-knit community of families into a field of ashes, twisted zinc, and the faint smell of smoke lingering in the air.  The blaze spread so quickly that some residents had no time to save their belongings, including a victim who identified herself as Kim to the media. Kim had a half-burnt…

A Jamaican woman on TikTok, known as @librabadnesssabbieslim, has sparked widespread attention after posting emotional videos claiming she and her young son were cast out of their family home in the middle of Hurricane Melissa. The videos, which circulated across the platform, show the woman, known as Abbie, walking in light rain at night with her child wrapped in a blanket. In one video, Abbie can be heard crying and saying, “dem put mi out inna di storm, mi and mi baby.” Her voice shook as she expressed fear and distress, while her child appeared to be in tears. She…

Hurricane Melissa’s death toll has risen to at least seven as the monstrous cyclone prepares to make landfall in Jamaica. The category five hurricane is the most powerful storm so far this year, and it has been detected off the coast ahead of its arrival on October 28 in Jamaica, where citizens have been experiencing strong winds, heavy rainfall, floods, and storm surges. Thousands are praying that the death toll will not climb as it moves through Jamaica, where the death toll currently stands at at least three, and the number of injured is 13.  Authorities in Jamaica have confirmed…

Authorities in the Russian town of Vasilyevo have launched a criminal investigation after a 21-day-old baby died in what officials say was a fall from a fourth-floor apartment window. The incident reportedly took place while the newborn and a five-year-old child were left alone inside the family’s residence. According to initial reports, passersby discovered the infant on the ground outside the apartment building after hearing screams. Despite immediate attention, the baby was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators say preliminary findings suggest the older sibling may have been involved in the fall. Authorities are examining claims that the five-year-old allegedly…

The father, who was reunited with his son after crying about him being missing, is now seeking professional counselling for the child. The distraught father, Jeffery Walker of Greenwich Town in St Andrew, initially reached out for public assistance to locate 12-year-old Javoy, who he said ran away from home for three weeks. His son’s absence not only brought him to tears but also led to sleepless nights as he sank into depression. The message for public aid was done through a social media video, in which he said the police had offered no assistance in finding the child. The…

Jamaica is now bracing for Category Five Hurricane Melissa, which is expected to worsen storm conditions on the island on Monday as it draws closer. Hours before the major hurricane intensified to a Category Five, at least eleven Old Harbour Bay homes in St Catherine were flooded on Sunday. Reports indicate that the hurricane generated a storm surge, with water reaching knee-high levels in certain sections of the community.  The rising tide forced dozens of residents to abandon their homes. According to parish disaster officials, floodwaters began creeping inland by mid-afternoon, pushing into yards, living rooms, and roadways. The Japan…

Jamaica has officially entered emergency mode. The country has now been declared a threatened area under the Disaster Risk Management Act. This means that the government has been granted authority to expand its powers to protect residents, secure critical infrastructure, and move swiftly in the event of worsening conditions. Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the national declaration on Friday on the advice of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), per reports. In his statement, Holness also touched on the public concern of vendors increasing their prices as citizens stock up on essentials. The prime minister announced the…

A mother of three is dead, and her estranged husband is now facing murder charges in what police are calling one of the most disturbing domestic violence cases seen in Nassau County this year. Forty-six-year-old Aleena Asif, a certified public accountant, was found inside her Long Island home with severe chemical burns on her face after authorities say she was attacked with a “cyanide-like” substance. Investigators believe she was targeted in a calculated act of retaliation, just days after serving divorce papers to her husband, 53-year-old Asif Qureshi. Police allege that Qureshi had been watching the home and waiting for…