'My heart is just crying every day' - Asafa Powell describes aftermath of Hurricane Melissa destruction in Jamaica

Sprint icon Asafa Powell openly expressed his emotional state with regards the devastating effects Hurricane Melissa has had on his beautiful country Jamaica.

The former two-time world record holder who has been involved in several relief efforts since the powerful storm hit the country in late October and even donated new houses to affected victims as part of his birthday celebration, shared his profound grief on the situation in an exclusive interview with Sky News.

"I think the world is mourning for Jamaica right now and I am mourning for Jamaica," he said. "My heart is just crying every day when I see the videos. It doesn't do it justice."

Powell, who represented Jamaica at four Olympic Games, emphasized the need to witness the damage firsthand to grasp its scale. "You have to see it in person... there's no greenery, everything is just brown. It's like a world war, where somebody drops a bomb, that's what it looks like."

Already, the Jamaican government has reported 45 fatalities, with 15 individuals still unaccounted for. In addition, the World Bank has estimated the physical damage at a staggering US$8.8 billion, which represents 41% of the nation's 2024 GDP.

Further adding on the level of destruction, Powell recounted the shocking scenes he encountered while delivering aid.

"I drove to Montego Bay, Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, and to be honest, I was scared, I was so shocked," he said. "I was scared to look left or right because there were just people on both sides of the road hoping that help was coming."

He continued, "I see houses under water... you see places where houses used to be... and it's really bad," describing the emotional weight of seeing his fellow Jamaicans in such desperate conditions.

In the wake of the hurricane, the Jamaican government declared a national disaster, with reports of blocked roads, downed trees, and severe flooding affecting nearly every parish.

Despite the immense scale of the disaster, Powell expressed confidence in the resilience of the Jamaican people.

"Never in a million years we thought Jamaica would have ever been like this," he said. "Jamaica is very small, but it's big in a sense, like Jamaicans say, we're 'likkle but we tallawah' (little but we are strong)."

"There are a lot more communities to be touched and we're going to get there," Powell concluded. "It's taking a while, but we're getting a lot of support and I really appreciate that."