MANCHESTER, Jamaica — At least 13 people have so far sought shelter at New Forest High and Mandeville Primary as Hurricane Beryl battered sections of the country on Wednesday with strong winds pounding Manchester.

Mayor of Mandeville Donovan Mitchell, who was among leaders at the Manchester Emergency Operations Centre, told Observer Online that 10 homeless people have so far been accommodated at the primary school and three people at the high school.

“The Ministry of Health mental team is out there trying to pick up some more people to bring them to the shelter. Food is available to them. There is a shelter manager. The police are also assisting us,” he said.

Mayor of Mandeville Donovan Mitchell (Photo: Kasey Williams)

He reiterated his appeal for residents of Alligator Pond to move to higher ground.

“At the New Forest High School, we have three persons in shelter there at this time. Hopefully, other people will take heed and move to there from the Alligator Pond, Duff House area,” he said.

“We have reports of fallen trees on the Winston Jones Highway,” he added.

— Kasey Williams