BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A Louisiana-based volunteer force has gone global. The United Cajun Navy is now on the ground in Jamaica, coordinating relief efforts after Hurricane Melissa, a catastrophic Category 5 storm that left widespread destruction across the island.

On Oct. 28, Hurricane Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, with sustained winds of 185 miles per hour, making it the strongest storm ever to hit the country. The hurricane caused massive flooding, landslides, and damage to infrastructure, cutting off entire communities from critical resources.

“This is a big humanitarian crisis that the entire world should be paying attention to,” said Brian Trascher, Vice President of the United Cajun Navy.

One of the hardest-hit regions is Saint Elizabeth Parish, loca

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