Gilbert reached a Category 5, but was only a Category 3 when it hit Jamaica. It was the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record until being surpassed by Wilma, in 2005.
My mom was caught in this hurricane during a "fam" trip in Jamaica when she used to be a travel agent. I remember when she came back; she told me about how they were in a concrete hotel and they were drinking all the rum in a closet hoping they live through the night. She said it sounded like a train was rushing past and the whole building was shaking. They had no running water or electricity for a couple days and the roof was ripped right off.
When she came home and shared stories and photos with me, at age 7, I remember thinking, "I need to experience a hurricane at least once in my life."
(Click on photos to enlarge)
Back in the 1980's, it was thought that taping an X on your windows before a hurricane would prevent them from breaking. The truth is, it's actually more dangerous because the window will still break.. and then you are left with larger shards of glass, due to them being taped together.
Apartments with their roofs missing.
