Jamaican workers in Simcoe head home after Hurricane Melissa

Thousands of people in Jamaica are reported homeless without food, shelter or water following last week’s catastrophic Hurricane Melissa.

On the Townsend Fruit Farm near Simcoe, Ont. seasonal workers are heading for a flight home, now that the apples have all been harvested without knowing what they’ll find when they get there.

Hurricane Melissa — a category Five hurricane with winds of 295 km/h — was recorded as the worst hurricane in the island’s history.

“I heard that my house is blown down, flat, complete,” said one worker

“It’s pretty bad,” said another. “It’s hard to come back to– it’s pretty bad.”

READ MORE: Hamilton community rallies to support Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa’s devastation

Jamaica’s government has said at least 32 people were killed with widespread devastation.

When the hurricane first hit, communications were cut off to the island.

Johnny Kneale manager with Townsend Fruit Farms said the communication was limited for theworkers for a few days.

Kneale says the migrant workers are going home to a country that’s in desperate condition.

‘We do have a lot of workers through that program that will be going back home to little or nothing and picking up the pieces and trying to build back up again,” he said. “Anything we feel we can spare in regards to getting them back and going is definitely appreciated.”

READ MORE: Caribbean communities rally after Hurricane Melissa’s deadly impact

The Canadian Red Cross is sending relief supplies to Jamaica.

The Jamaican workers say any donations would be welcomed, especially shelters for people left homeless.

“Maybe they can set up a tent city or something like that cause a lot of persons are without home right now,” said Nyle Smallwood, a Jamaican worker. 

“We need some roof over their heads — they’re getting food but if the rain comes right now or anything in the night or anything, if they could do that for us it would be great,” he said. 

Communications between Canada and Jamaica have been difficult since the hurricane hit. 

The Jamaican workers will be on a plane overnight to go home, where entire communities have been destroyed and people are pleading for help. ]\

They’ll find out for themselves how bad the damage is.