David Muir praised for real reporting as viewers sob over tragic update

Hurricane Melissa brought destruction across the Caribbean after it made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday – and David Muir reported on the storm on ABC World News Tonight

David Muir has been praised for his reporting on Hurricane Melissa as ABC viewers shared their heartbreak over the destruction the storm caused.

On ABC World News Tonight, the journalist revealed that search and rescue missions were underway across Jamaica after the hurricane slammed the Caribbean island with 185 mph winds and massive flooding. Melissa has also hit Cuba and Haiti, where roofless homes, toppled utility poles and water-logged furniture dominated the landscape on Wednesday.

David said, “Good evening, we begin tonight with Hurricane Melissa, the monster storm causing widespread destruction across the Caribbean, slamming into Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane.” The TV host said families have told ABC they were clinging onto parts of their homes to survive the storm.

READ MORE: The Perfect Neighbor: What the sheriff said about Susan Lorincz amid documentary releaseREAD MORE: Donald Trump issued brutal blow as all the president’s lies listed by CNN reporter

Melissa is the strongest storm on record to ever hit Jamaica, with strong winds and flooding destroying entire communities. Up to 70 per cent of the island was without power last night, David confirmed. The TV host went on to show some images and videos taken across Jamaica, with hotels and resorts being destroyed by the hurricane. As of Wednesday night, Melissa was still a Category 1 hurricane, slamming into Bahamas, David confirmed.

The TV host then went on to introduce a report by his colleague Ike Ejiochi, who visited Santa Cruz in Jamaica’s St. Elizabeth parish, which took “a direct hit.” The journalist’s report featured several clips of the devastated landscape, as he confirmed at least two bodies were found during search and rescue missions.

Ike reported that the St. Elizabeth Technical High School was among the places destroyed by the hurricane, as its roof was torn off by the strong winds. A local resident told Ike he had climbed on top of his home to nail down his roof so it wouldn’t blow away during the storm.

“Some 25,000 Jamaicans are in shelters, some 25,000 tourists are stuck on the island,” Ike said in his report. “There is destruction across the Caribbean,” he added, saying that Cuba and Haiti are also dealing with the aftermath of the storm.

Addressing the TV host, Ike said, “David, the town of Santa Cruz is completely devastated.” Showing images of submerged cars, the journalist said that “going back to normal is going to take months.” After the report was shared on Instagram by the official ABC World News Tonight account, fans praised both David and Ike for highlighting the issue.

Many viewers commented with praying hands emojis, as a person wrote, “So sad!!!!!” Another commented, “…may GOD Bless them!!” A third said, “I hope they get help with food At least. Will red cross or some kind of help be coming to donate to?”

One more said, “Praying for the Caribbean Islands.” A person added, “Sending love and prayers to Jamaica for a swift recovery. Heartfelt condolences to those who lost loved ones. Stay resilient!”

In Santa Cruz, streets were reduced to mud pits and residents swept water from homes as they tried to salvage their belongings. “I never see anything like this before in all my years living here,” resident Jennifer Small said.

Dana Morris Dixon, Jamaica’s education minister, said it was still “too early” to confirm the extent of the damage as widespread power outages and dangerous conditions persisted in the region. Melissa made landfall Tuesday in Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane with top winds of 185 mph (295 kph), one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, before weakening and moving on to Cuba, but even countries outside the direct path of the massive storm felt its devastating effects.

At least 25 people have died across Haiti and 18 are missing, the country’s Civil Protection Agency said in a statement Wednesday, with 20 of those reported dead and 10 of the missing being from a southern coastal town where flooding collapsed dozens of homes. At least eight are dead in Jamaica.

In Cuba, officials reported collapsed houses, blocked mountain roads and roofs blown off buildings Wednesday, with the heaviest destruction concentrated in the southwest and northwest. Authorities said about 735,000 people remained in shelters. “That was hell. All night long, it was terrible,” said Reinaldo Charon in Santiago de Cuba. The 52-year-old was one of the few people venturing out on Wednesday, covered by a plastic sheet in the intermittent rain.