Widespread destruction has been reported in the Bahamas where at least 20 people have been confirmed dead as a result of Hurricane Dorian.
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Lieutenant General Rocky Meade, Chief of Defence Staff for the JDF; Sharon Rolle, a resident of the Abaco Islands, who spoke with CNN's Anderson Cooper
Members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) are scheduled to arrive in the hurricane ravaged islands of the Bahamas today to assist rescue and recovery efforts.
Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Rocky Meade, says an advanced mission led by Lieutenant Colonel Godfrey Sterling was dispatched to the Bahamas Thursday morning.
General Meade said the Jamaican Government has requested help from Canada to airlift the second team to the Bahamas because of the size aircraft needed to transport the soldiers and supplies.
He said the Jamaican troops have been given supplies to sustain them for up to a month and the JDF is prepared to send a Coast Guard vessel with additional supplies for the troops as well as relief supplies for Bahamians.
General Meade said the Jamaican soldiers will carry out several duties in the affected islands, such as helping to set up temporary bases for for themselves and the Bahamian Coast Guard to functionand helping with to help with logistics arrangements, including movement and distribution of supplies.
He was speaking Thursday morning at a media briefing at Jamaica House.
Bahamas Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has said JDF personnel will help the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
He said the soldiers will reinforce safety and security in Abaco and Grand Bahama.
Bahamas Commissioner of Police, Anthony Ferguson, on Wednesday confirmed that several businesses in the northwest islands have been looted.
Dr. Minnis has warned that looters will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Death
In the meantime, more citizens of the Bahamas are speaking about the devastation left by Hurricane Dorian.
Sharon Rolle, who lives on one of the Abaco Islands told the CNN that the smell of death is in the air.
Ms Rolle said she felt residents had been abandoned by the authorities.
Twenty deaths have been reported.
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