TRELAWNY, Jamaica — In a display of teamwork and resilience, porters and other male staff members at Falmouth Public General Hospital are going beyond the call of duty to maintain basic services at the Type C health-care facility, which has been without piped water since the passage of Hurricane Melissa on Tuesday.

On Thursday, the men were seen moving seawater in containers to the hospital compound to be used for flushing toilets and cleaning the floors of sections of the Accident and Emergency Department, which was flooded after the seawall was breached during Melissa.

Several sections of the hospital also suffered significant roof damage, with zinc sheets ripped off from departments including accident and emergency, the health department, and doctors and nurses’ quarters.

Nearby facilities such as the Trelawny Infirmary and Poor Relief Department, both located close to the shoreline, also sustained major damage as Melissa — a Category 5 system packing winds of up to 185 miles per hour — battered the area.

The roof of the historic Falmouth Courthouse, which had already been compromised, was further ravaged by the hurricane. It was not immediately clear whether the Falmouth Port suffered any significant damage.

Across the seaside town, residential properties were left in ruins, reflecting widespread devastation throughout the parish.

In the Scarlett Hall community, the recently constructed Church of God building was destroyed, while two other churches were severely damaged. The Daniel Town Moravian Church was also flattened.

Flooding was reported in several communities, including sections of Comfort Hall, where one man was forced to swim to safety with his young son on his back after flood waters invaded his home. His minibus was damaged during the storm, but he was later overheard giving thanks for his and his son’s survival.

Motorists travelling along both major routes into Falmouth — from Martha Brae and Bogue Gate — were being hampered by rising smelly floodwaters that made driving treacherous and slow up to Thursday. Their ordeal was worsened by long lines at gas stations, where members of the security forces were deployed to maintain order among impatient motorists.

Long queues were also observed at supermarkets, hardware stores, and haberdasheries, as residents sought to purchase essential supplies.

As of early Friday morning, the entire parish remained without electricity, piped water, telephone and Internet services, with fears that restoration could take some time as fallen utility poles lined several major roadways. However, workmen were seen in some areas carrying out repairs.

The damaged roof at Falmouth Public General Hospital in Trelawny (Photo: Horace Hines)