DAT GILBERT

Run! Run! as the screams of panic was echoed, the shower of rain came pouring, dark clouds the wind hurled, the beautiful island of Jamaica came into disarray as a major hurricane hit Sept. 1988, On record this is the most devastating hurricane the little island of the third world has ever experienced. Jamaica known for its Beauty, Coffee, Reggae, Beaches & it's People. A day of History lets go Explore; the scenery was not as beautiful as it seems, known for its essence for highly ray of sunshine yearly, with tourism mainly the country's economy attraction. On September 12, 1988, at the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, a hurricane named Gilbert hit a surprised and largely unprepared Jamaica. Thief in the Night for most, as many were surprised having doubts that the hurricane will not make landfall in the country & they were wrong.

Hurricane Gilbert with extreme windspeed, the hurricane covered the entire island. The tin roofs that covered most houses were no match for the winds about 80 percent of the island's homes were seriously damaged and maybe an estimate 500,000 of the country's 2 million people were left homeless.

Hurricane Gilbert hit as a category 3 hurricane, the system intensified to reach category 5 by the time it departed the western section of Jamaica, among the dreaded consequences of the passage of this hurricane was the locking off of electricity service around mid-day on September 12. It would be many months before many citizens experienced power supplies at home.

Extensive flooding was also reported across the island as Gilbert produced storm surges up to 19 feet high, and dumped more than 32 inches of rain on the country. It was also reported while over 800,000 people, approximately 30 per cent of the estimated population sought shelter outside of their homes. Jamaica took several months for water, electricity and telephone services to be restored across the country {14 parishes} An one month state of public emergency was also declared in the Capital, Kingston. The death rate from Hurricane Gilbert was over 300 on record, The small island of Jamaica was destroyed & now seeking recovery.

Each One Helping One, assistance was needed as within days of Hurricane Gilbert, the IMF approved Jamaica's application for a new stand by arrangement subject for the review of the original targets. The World Bank organized a donor countries group meeting for Jamaica in Berlin, Germany in the midst of the annual meeting of the World Bank and IMF, International Monetary Fund, a first in their history.

Jamaica's recovery Agenda was assistance from the IMF almost 1,000 roads was been repaired; bringing asphalt to roads that were dirt tracks, contracts were awarded for the repair of 262 of the 516 infant, primary and all-age schools for which the Ministry of Education was responsible; In all but eight of the 131 secondary educational institutions contracts for repairs, 55 of the 149 health clinics and centers which were damaged went under repair; All but eight of the 26 hospitals damaged were now being repaired and contracts for six of the eight are under negotiation. Food, water and power supplies was now been restored, Special short-term work projects were been implemented, putting 70,000 people to work & food stamps were being distributed to 848,000 persons. Three decades since Hurricane Gilbert has made landfall & created history, for some laughter & for others sadness, as the hurricane season approaches do you get nervous? Have you ever experience a major hurricane?

I admire the rain but can get very scared of lightening & thunders. Did you know of Hurricane Gilbert In Jamaica? Jamaica is regarded as one of the best country for a vacation in the Caribbean. YEAH MAN IRIE 😎.