Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba Assess Damage After Hurricane Melissa

Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm—the strongest ever recorded to hit Jamaica directly—swept across the northern Caribbean, leaving widespread devastation in its wake. The hurricane struck Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and parts of the Dominican Republic over Tuesday and Wednesday, claiming lives and causing extensive property damage. In Haiti, the storm killed at least 25 people, including 20 in the southern coastal town of Petit-Goave, where a river overflowed, collapsing dozens of homes. Families in emergency shelters, roughly 12,000 people, grappled with the mounting death toll. Resident Steven Guadard lost his entire family, including four children, highlighting the storm’s human cost.

Jamaica recorded eight deaths, with extensive damage to western parishes where homes lost roofs, trees were uprooted, hospitals flooded, and electricity and water supplies were cut off. Despite Prime Minister Andrew Holness promising a “credible and strong” recovery strategy, residents pleaded for urgent aid. Sylvester Guthrie, a resident of St. Elizabeth Parish, was left homeless with only his bicycle, emphasizing the scale of destruction.

Cuba, though spared deaths, saw more than 735,000 residents evacuated. Gradual returns were facilitated with the military assisting in rescuing people from isolated communities. Across Jamaica, emergency relief operations commenced as the hurricane’s center avoided Kingston, allowing Norman Manley International Airport to reopen by Wednesday evening for the landing of essential supplies. The government mobilized efforts to provide water, food, and medical assistance, while the Jamaica Public Service utility began assessing damage as most of the island’s 2.8 million residents were left without electricity. Citizens were warned to avoid downed power lines.

Western parishes, including St. James and St. Elizabeth, were particularly hard-hit. Torrential floodwaters, strong winds, and landslides caused extensive damage to infrastructure and homes. In the historic port town of Black River, Melissa leveled houses, destroyed historic buildings, and flooded medical facilities, leaving the “entire infrastructure” devastated, according to Prime Minister Holness. Heavy construction equipment worked in mud-soaked streets to clear debris and felled trees. Video footage captured dazed residents assessing the widespread damage.

The storm, initially Category 5, was later downgraded to Category 1, the lowest on the Saffir-Simpson scale, but still produced sustained winds of 155 km/h (100 mph) with stronger gusts, according to the US-based National Hurricane Center. Melissa’s eye was expected to move away from the southeastern and central Bahamas before passing west of Bermuda, easing the threat in other regions.

In response to the widespread destruction, recovery operations are ongoing. Jamaica and Haiti have prioritized restoring essential services, clearing debris, and providing immediate humanitarian aid. Shelters, medical care, and emergency food distribution continue to support affected communities. The US and the UK have pledged international assistance, highlighting the global recognition of the disaster’s scale. Military and local authorities are working together to rescue stranded residents, restore infrastructure, and help affected families rebuild their lives.

The hurricane’s aftermath underscores the vulnerability of the northern Caribbean to extreme weather events. With tens of thousands affected, the storm has caused severe human, economic, and infrastructural losses. Communities across Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba face months of recovery, as relief efforts, international support, and government coordination aim to restore normalcy. Melissa has demonstrated the destructive potential of climate-related disasters in the region and highlighted the need for robust disaster preparedness, early warning systems, and resilient infrastructure to mitigate future impacts.

In summary, Hurricane Melissa left a trail of death and destruction across the northern Caribbean, particularly in Haiti and Jamaica, with Cuba seeing large-scale evacuations. Recovery efforts are underway amid continued challenges, with international support supplementing local and national initiatives. The storm’s destruction to homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods underscores the urgent need for long-term disaster resilience and preparedness in the region.