The hurricane swept across the western parishes of the island on the 29th October 1933. The storm gained hurricane force winds of 80 to 100 miles per hour at many places, in its progress, either at sea, along the near southern coast regions of Southern Manchester, St. Elizabeth, and Westmoreland or when it traversed the country from a point to the immediate west of Sav.la.Mar, coursing in a north-easterly direction to the eastern border line of Hanover, near to the mouth of the Great River.
The consequent precipitation at the time: there was a total rainfall of about 7 inches for the western part of the island as compared to 8 inches falling in the eastern section on the 28th and 29th. The storm centre in its track at sea, along the southern coast of St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland, so far as a Sav.-la.Mar, appears to have attained greater hurricane intensity than along the remainder of its movement, from Sav-la Mar, towards the northern coast of Hanover.
The regions lying between 10 to 15 miles distant from the storm track suffered severely. Buildings such as the St. Mary’s Church and Rectory (St. Elizabeth) were badly damaged and a large percentage of small habitations of the peasantry, at Southfield, were swept away and thousands rendered homes for a time. Cultivations, also met severe losses. From Sav.-la-Mar to the north coast, the damages sustained by buildings were somewhat less. The Sav.-la-Mar Church and Church Hall, as well as St.Paul’s Rectory, Little London suffered. Several other buildings in Black River and Sav.-la-Mar were shattered.
In the parish of Hanover quite an appreciable amount of destruction to property occurred in the districts of Chigwell and Hopewell. Inundated areas, arising from heavy rainfall, added, otherwise to the havoc occasioned by wind.
Banana losses were reported as 100 % near the storm centre and diminishing to about 10 %. in far off properties, such as those situated in the parish of St. Mary, 70 miles distant to eastward. Large trees were uprooted in the vicinity of the hurricane’s track.
There were six deaths reported in the Southfield District of St. Elizabeth and three seamen lost their lives by the sinking of a small vessel named “A.H.S” near to the town of Black River.
Document(s): “This pamphlet located at The University of the West Indies Science Library is a report by the
Government Meteorologist in 1933 and gives detail on recurrent periods of activity and tranquility as it
pertains to hurricanes in Jamaica around that time. It then gives detail on the hurricane of Sunday 29 th
October 1993 as it approached the island. The character of the hurricane and its effect on the weather
conditions were described and Hurricane Damage described. Details of conditions experienced at
certain towns is also given in table form. A map of the track of the hurricane is also included.”
Taken from these original sources
TheGovernmentMeterologist. 1934