Over the weekend, Hurricane Melissa intensified into a Category 5 storm and is expected to strike Jamaica on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

Students, faculty and staff at Morgan State University are expressing concern for their loved ones abroad.

In a statement, the university said it “joins the global community in expressing deep concern over Hurricane Melissa and its potential impact on Jamaica and neighboring regions.”

The university noted that as a diverse institution with students, faculty and staff who hail from Jamaica or have familial and cultural ties to the island, the unfolding situation may be especially distressing for members of its community.

Melissa was first announced as a tropical storm on Tuesday, Oct. 21, with sustained winds of about
39 mph.

An article from Reuters states that the “slow‐moving Category 5 storm … was on course to barrel into Jamaica …” and that the slow motion is contributing to the danger.

The hurricane is projected to cause historic devastation in Jamaica, potentially surpassing the impact of Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, which reached maximum winds of 130 mph.

Forecasters said the storm is expected to make landfall early Tuesday, cutting diagonally across the island entering near St. Elizabeth Parish in the south and exiting around St. Ann Parish in the north.

“My family is without power. They have had no electricity since early yesterday. They have very strong winds and a lot of rain coming in,” said Jaunel Panton a senior computer science major at Morgan from St. Elizabeth, Jamaica.

“We’ve already seen destructive damage in surrounding areas, so right now it’s a waiting game to see what happens,” said Panton.

Ingrid Tolluch, an associate professor of psychology from Portland, Jamaica, recalls the devastation of Hurricane Allen in 1980, which was a Category 4 storm.

“I still remember the houses down the hill, so I just can’t fathom a Category 5 and because it’s slow-moving, it’s going to hang around for a while and that’s what’s scary,” said Tolluch.

Despite her family’s familiarity with tropical storms, Tasara Sinclair, a junior psychology major from Kingston, Jamaica, is worried about her family’s housing situation.

“I’m sure that they know how to prepare and what to do; but with this being a Category5, I’m worried that after everything they might not have anywhere to stay,” said Sinclair.

Morgan emphasized that the well-being of its Bears family remains a top priority as the storm approaches.

The university encouraged students personally affected or concerned about loved ones in Jamaica to contact the Office of Student Support and Outreach Services (S.O.S.), which oversees The Care Team and can connect them to available resources.

Students can also access additional support through Beyond Financial Aid, which serves as a hub for a wide range of student support services.

Vernon Henry, an electrician, adjunct professor and grandfather of Ebony Henry, a freshman engineering physics major at Morgan, is in Kingston preparing alongside his community.

Henry recalled Hurricane Charlie of 1951, then Jamaica’s deadliest hurricane with 154 confirmed dead, and described how local communities support one another during such crises.

“The folks, they seem to help each other, they pull together,” said Henry. “Visitors to Jamaica who were trapped during the hurricane came back afterward and couldn’t believe folks could pull together like that.”

Other seasoned hurricane survivors are more confident. Wayne Rose, a history professor from Kingston, said,

“We’ve been through these types of weather-related activities before, for the most part our people know how to ride these waves.”

Larry Jones, Morgan’s assistant vice president for public relations, said the university stands with Jamaica and its community members.

“Morgan State University stands in solidarity with the people of Jamaica and sincerely hopes that the island is spared from severe devastation and loss,” said Jones.

Faculty and staff were also reminded that the University’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), provided through Behavioral Health Systems, is available to offer confidential counseling and support.

Aleisha Robinson contributed to this story.