US-Based Jamaicans Urge Children and Elderly to Stay Hydrated as Island Faces Warmer Summer

Forecasts suggest Jamaica could see above-average warmth this summer, and nationals abroad are reaching out to people on the island with reminders to take care in the heat. Jamaicans based in the United States are among those caught inside a punishing heat wave that has already sparked major health emergencies, caused severe agricultural losses, led to the cancellation of America's Independence Day parade, and left more than 182,000 homes without power.

Even while managing blistering conditions overseas, members of the diaspora say they want those at home—especially children and older adults—to drink enough water and protect themselves. Speaking with IRIE FM News, a Jamaican man living in Florida said the young and the elderly should not take their health and safety lightly. He urged people to remain indoors where possible, a call reinforced by a Jamaican woman residing on Long Island, New York. She told the station that the extreme heat in her American community has heightened her worry about elderly relatives still in Jamaica.