‘It looked like a horror movie’ - Sean Paul heartbroken by devastation after Melissa

Jamaican international recording artiste Sean Paul has described the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa as "overwhelming", highlighting the staggering scale of destruction he witnessed firsthand across several western parishes.

"The destruction we've seen is overwhelming - people are suffering and desperately need support," Sean Paul said.

Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica as a Category 5 storm on October 18, hitting western parishes hardest. St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Trelawny, St James, and Hanover bore the brunt of the storm's fury.

Travelling through Manchester, St Elizabeth, and Westmoreland, Sean Paul said he "barely recognised the places filled with so many of my memories".

"Some of our well-known landmarks have been completely wiped out. It truly looked like something out of a horror movie. Rebuilding will take enormous effort, time, and resources," he added.

In his relief efforts, Sean Paul has joined forces with charitable organisations, including Food For The Poor and World Central Kitchen, to deliver food, water, hygiene packages, and other essential supplies to families in urgent need.

"It's one thing to hear about the damage on the news," Sean Paul said, "but seeing it with your own eyes - the overturned roofs, the debris everywhere, the despair in people's eyes - it really hits home. Jamaica is resilient, but this is a time when we all need to come together and support our people."

In Westmoreland, Sean Paul met residents like Cleveland Brown of Congress Hall, who travelled to Petersville Primary School to access relief supplies. Brown shared the harsh realities his community now faces and expressed gratitude to Sean Paul and his team for witnessing the devastation first-hand.

"It was a very difficult experience being in the middle of the hurricane. When I heard it coming, I tried to secure my home, but I could only do so much," Brown recalled.

He continued: "All I remember is the zinc start tear off while [I was] getting some food, and when I looked around, everything was lifting up, even the plate outta my hand. My friend came with his daughter, seeking refuge, but before we could settle, the whole house started to move. I grabbed the door and [then], with my brother, ran towards the top of the hill. I couldn't keep track of my friend with his child. Honestly, if it wasn't for God, we wouldn't be alive."

"The wind felt like it was trying to lift us up. We found a king-size mattress, laid down on the divan and used what we could to cover ourselves. When it was over, all I could see was dead hogs and goats everywhere; nothing weh look like a house nowhere," he recounted.

Moved by the terrifying stories of loss and devastation, the Grammy-winning artiste has pledged to continue working alongside relief organisations, assessing the needs of communities and exploring ways to support long-term rebuilding efforts, including homes, schools, and livelihoods.