Photo: AFP
(CBS 12) As Hurricane Melissa barrels toward Jamaica, the storm’s impact is being felt far beyond the island... including here in South Florida.
At Bull Top Taste Jamaican Restaurant on 45th Street in West Palm Beach, employees are watching the forecast closely and worrying about loved ones back home.
One worker says he’s been trying to reach his family in Jamaica but can’t get through.
“I’m fretting right now. I’m fretting because my family is there,” said Vivian Baker, an employee at Bull Top Taste. “I have a concern about it, and I have to try to send something for them because it’s very serious.”
Baker says his mother, who’s 80 years old, along with his brother and sister, are still in Jamaica.
He tells CBS12 News he’s praying for their safety as the Category 5 hurricane takes aim at the island, bringing the threat of life-threatening winds, flooding, and widespread power outages.
"I just hope and pray for my family in Jamaica are alive and well," Baker said.
Meteorologists expect Hurricane Melissa to make landfall Tuesday morning, with Jamaica under a full hurricane warning.