Jamaica counts the cost of Dean

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/6958507.stm

Version 0 of 1.

By Karen Madden BBC News, Kingston, Jamaica The people of Jamaica are trying to pick up the pieces after Hurricane Dean ploughed into their Caribbean paradise.

Three people were killed during the hurricane's onslaught.

A 15-year-old girl was killed in St Thomas on the country's eastern end.

The south coast was worst affected by the stormThe teenager had just returned to what she thought was the relative safety of her house in the height of the storm.

In a twist of fate, a cement block came crashing through her roof, hitting her on the head.

A 44-year-old farmer was also found in the rubble at his house after it collapsed on him.

And one man died after the car he was travelling in was pushed by the winds into a wall.

Most of the country is without light and water as utility companies scramble to restore the infrastructure, which took a serious battering.

While it is still too early to put a cost on the damage, a preliminary assessment in farming revealed a worrying picture.

Clearing work

Jamaica's Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke said there was bad news for banana, plantain and vegetable crops.

The yam-growing areas were hard hit, while there was minimal damage to the sugar sector, he added.

Caribbean Terrace residents were forced to run for their livesCoffee and fruit trees were also demolished by the winds.

Since Tuesday, residents in several communities have been doing their own brand of cleaning and have been joined by the government agencies.

Most of the work will be concentrated on clearing mudslides, electricity poles and huge trees from roadways.

In Caribbean Terrace outside Kingston, people are counting their blessings after their beachfront community was hit by a 50ft (15m) surge.

Several houses there had been demolished by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, but still residents defied orders to leave.

However faced with the storm's fury, they had to literally run for their lives. Luckily no-one was hurt.

Sport affected

The agency responsible for emergency management is also busy providing food and other supplies for the more than 5,000 people still in shelters.

Those people will have to be relocated soon, as most of them are being accommodated in public schools. That is going to be a challenge as the new school year is set to begin on 3 September.

The country's famous sporting industry was also badly affected. Caymanas Park, home to horse-racing, has been forced to postpone races for a week after the stables there lost their roofs.

The Kingston Cricket Club, located at Sabina Park, lost its roof. But the park itself, recently renovated for World Cup cricket, escaped with just a few zinc sheets missing.

The hurricane has also forced the authorities to postpone general elections which had been scheduled for 27 August.