Sean Paul heartbroken by Melissa’s destruction

International dancehall superstar Sean Paul says the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa has taken a heavy emotional toll. The entertainer, known for spreading joy through his music, admits that these days his emotions swing between hope and heartbreak.

"My emotions have been up and down," he told THE WEEKEND STAR.

"It's up in terms of helping out, and then every now and again I kinda break down when I see the damage and the people in need," the Gimme the Light hitmaker said.

At the site where steaming pots of food were being prepared for countless number of hungry families, Sean Paul stood among volunteers on Tuesday, his usually bright demeanour replaced by a look of deep concern.

All around him, Beeston Spring, located in Westmoreland, bore the scars of Hurricane Melissa's wrath -- twisted zinc sheets lay scattered like paper, homes reduced to mounds of rubble, and power lines brought to the ground.

Since the hurricane's passage, Sean Paul has been actively involved in relief efforts across western Jamaica, delivering aid to communities devastated by the Category 5 storm. The extent of the devastation weighs heavily on his shoulders.

"Yuh know seh a lot of energy is spent every day to help, but it would still feel like they are not getting help, so that gives me an anxious feeling," Sean Paul said.

"It's really hard to see our people like this, and it's a hard thing to see Jamaica like this," he said.

"Just the vegetation alone -- no trees with leaves left down these sides -- and not to mention the houses and the people who lost everything," he added.

He somberly shared one of the many encounters that moved him during his visit to Beeston Spring.

"I just witnessed an elder standing up, telling me his house is gone, and a lady came up and asked if she could give him a hug. She did, and he felt a bit better, but is really a medic him need," he said.

On Tuesday, scores of people were seen lining the streets, gratefully accepting meals from World Central Kitchen, which has been feeding thousands of persons in western Jamaica said the storm.

"We wanted to reach people who were cut off, and Beeston Spring is one of those areas. I've been out since last Thursday, and it's very heartbreaking to see Jamaica like this. I don't even know how many people are being served, but it's a lot," he said.

Standing amid the wreckage, the Grammy-winning artiste vowed to continue supporting those affected until they recover.

"Currently, we are setting up a water tank which will serve Beeston Spring, and we are going to do the same in a place call Jerusalem; so little by little we are going to help these communities to get back on their feet," Sean Paul said.

Melissa became just the second Atlantic storm ever to make landfall with winds up to 185 mph. Western parishes of St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Trelawny, St James and Hanover got the brunt of the damage. In Sean Paul's words, "in the west, it is just like a bomb hit out here".