MILE GULLY, Manchester — Haunted by the traumatic experience of his house in New Pond, near here, being flooded and its roof damaged by Hurricane Melissa seven months ago, 82-year-old Joslyn Chronicle was joyful on Labour Day as volunteers reconstructed and improved his dwelling in time for the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

The stroke survivor recalled how heavy and persistent rain from the Category 5 hurricane pushed stones inside his house.

“God kept me, because the water came and I was on the bed and I saw the water come straight in and come on the verandah and come straight in around to the back door and go into the bathroom. I couldn’t step down onto the bed. The water [eventually] ran out before I could come out,” he said on Monday.