Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm ever recorded to strike Jamaica, ripped through the Caribbean over the past week, leaving catastrophic damage and a mounting death toll in its wake. The hurricane made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 with sustained winds of 185 mph, tying records for wind speed and pressure among Atlantic hurricanes since 1851. Catastrophic flooding, landslides, and widespread infrastructure collapse stranded many across island while leaving roughly hundreds of thousands of residents without electricity. At least 19 people died in Jamaica, and local officials caution that the true number may rise as search and rescue efforts continue.
In Haiti, intense rainfall from the storm's slow passage triggered deadly river surges and landslides, with at least 30 confirmed fatalities with more missing, many from the southern town of Petit-Goave. Communities across eastern Cuba faced the hurricane as a Category 3, forcing the preemptive evacuation of over 700,000 people. Melissa's slow movement exacerbated damage, isolating villages and crippling transportation and communications.
AccuWeather estimates economic losses in the region at up to $52 billion. As of Friday, Hurricane Melissa was rapidly weakening as it moved northeast away from Bermuda, with forecasters warning of hazardous surf and strong winds reaching the southern Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland tonight. Recovery and aid efforts remain hampered by impassable roads and widespread power outages, and many Caribbean communities remain desperate for food, water, and medical support.
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