HAVANA, Oct 29 – Hurricane Melissa left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean, becoming the most powerful storm ever recorded to hit Jamaica before roaring into eastern Cuba. With winds initially reaching 185 miles per hour, the storm battered Jamaica with unprecedented force, tearing through homes, uprooting trees, and flooding entire communities. Although later downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane as it hit Cuba, Melissa continued to pose a severe threat to life and property.
Record-Breaking Storm Pounds Jamaica
Jamaica faced the full wrath of Hurricane Melissa on Tuesday night as the storm made landfall with Category 5 intensity. The ferocity of the winds, coupled with torrential rainfall, caused widespread devastation across the island’s western regions. Officials reported that hundreds of thousands of people lost power, while infrastructure damage was extensive.
In the parish of St. Elizabeth, local authorities described the situation as “catastrophic,” with entire neighborhoods submerged under floodwaters. The Jamaican government confirmed damage to hospitals, schools, and key roadways, noting that communication with several rural areas had been disrupted. Prime Minister Andrew Holness addressed the nation, acknowledging the grim outlook. “The reports that we have received so far include significant damage to residential, commercial, and public property,” he said. “Although we have not yet confirmed fatalities, given the scale of this disaster, we expect some loss of life.”
Footage circulating online from Montego Bay showed vehicles overturned by the force of the wind, roofs torn away, and airport terminals swamped with floodwater. Residents described the storm as an unrelenting roar that lasted through the night. Journie Ealey, a tourist from the United States who was staying in Jamaica, said the experience felt “like a freight train that wouldn’t stop for eight hours.”
Meteorologists noted that Melissa ranks among the most intense hurricanes in Caribbean history, trailing only Wilma in 2005 and Gilbert in 1988—the last major hurricane to strike Jamaica directly. Experts warned that the increasing frequency and intensity of such storms are linked to rising ocean temperatures, a direct consequence of global climate change.
Cuba Braces for Impact
After leaving Jamaica battered, Hurricane Melissa continued its destructive path toward Cuba. By the time it reached the island early Wednesday, the hurricane had weakened to a Category 3 system with sustained winds of 120 miles per hour. Despite the downgrade, the storm remained extremely dangerous, unleashing heavy rains, landslides, and flooding across the eastern provinces.
Authorities in Cuba evacuated roughly 735,000 people ahead of the hurricane’s arrival. The city of Santiago de Cuba, home to over 400,000 residents, bore the brunt of the impact as strong winds shattered windows, brought down trees, and left streets covered in debris. President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed that the country had suffered “severe damage” and urged citizens to remain in shelters until conditions improved. “This is not the time to let our guard down,” he warned during a national address.
In Guama, a rural district west of Santiago, winds exceeding 125 miles per hour uprooted trees and knocked out electricity for thousands of residents. Videos shared online showed muddy torrents flowing through mountain towns in the Sierra Maestra region. The combination of rain and wind made it impossible for emergency crews to begin rescue operations until the storm moved further north.
Cuban officials said power was intentionally cut across much of the eastern region to reduce the risk of electrical fires and accidents. Early reports indicated widespread flooding from Santiago to Guantánamo, where more than one-third of residents had been relocated before the storm struck. Recovery efforts were further hampered by the country’s ongoing shortages of fuel, food, and medicine, which have strained the island’s infrastructure for months.
Regional Preparations and International Aid
As Hurricane Melissa continued its north-northeast trajectory, forecasters predicted it would maintain hurricane strength while moving toward the Bahamas. In response, Bahamian authorities issued evacuation orders for communities in the southern islands expected to be affected by storm surge and heavy rainfall.
The Dominican Republic and Haiti, located east of Melissa’s path, had already experienced days of relentless rain, which caused deadly flooding. Officials there confirmed at least four fatalities linked to the storm’s outer bands.
In the aftermath of the devastation, international support began to mobilize. U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States would assist Jamaica in its recovery efforts, pledging to send search-and-rescue teams and emergency supplies. Caribbean leaders also renewed their calls for wealthier nations to support climate resilience initiatives, emphasizing that small island nations bear a disproportionate burden from extreme weather events fueled by global warming.
Despite the destruction, Jamaican Prime Minister Holness expressed determination to rebuild. “Our country has been ravaged by Hurricane Melissa, but we will rebuild—and we will do so stronger and better than before,” he said in a statement on Wednesday morning.
Melissa’s impact across Jamaica and Cuba underscores the growing threat that powerful hurricanes pose to the Caribbean region. With communities left in ruins and thousands displaced, recovery will take months, if not years. Yet amid the wreckage, the resolve of the Caribbean people remains unbroken, standing as a testament to their resilience in the face of nature’s fury.