KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hurricane Melissa has been blamed for at least 25 deaths in Haiti and left Jamaica and Cuba with catastrophic damage, widespread flooding, and hundreds of thousands without power after tearing across the Caribbean this week.
The storm, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, made landfall in eastern Cuba Wednesday as a Category 3 system, after pummelling Jamaica Tuesday with Category 5 winds reaching 295 km/h (183 mph).
Haiti: “I Am Overwhelmed by the Situation”
In Haiti, officials say the La Digue River overflowed in the southern coastal town of Petit-Goâve, destroying homes and sweeping residents away.
“I am overwhelmed by the situation,” said Mayor Jean Bertrand Subrème, who pleaded for government assistance as rescue workers struggled to reach trapped victims.
Dozens of homes collapsed, and by Wednesday morning, many residents were still trapped under rubble. Only one official from Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency was reported on-site, as locals used makeshift boats and debris to flee flooded areas.
Cuba: “That Was Hell”
Melissa made landfall in Cuba’s Granma Province, unleashing powerful winds and torrential rain across the island.
“That was hell. All night long, it was terrible,” said Reinaldo Charon, a resident of Santiago de Cuba, describing the storm’s relentless assault.
Authorities reported collapsed houses, flooded towns, and power outages across several provinces. More than 735,000 Cubans were moved to shelters, while Granma’s capital, Jiguaní, reported over 40 cm of rain.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel vowed that “no one will be left behind,” promising full mobilization of national resources to assist recovery efforts.
“There will be a lot of work to do,” Díaz-Canel said. “We know there will be a lot of damage.”
Jamaica: “It’s Not Going to Be an Easy Road”
Jamaica endured a direct hit from Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, with wind gusts nearing 300 km/h, leaving massive destruction in its wake.
Government officials said that more than 500,000 customers lost electricity, while 25,000 residents took refuge in emergency shelters after roofs were ripped off homes, roads flooded, and trees and power lines blocked key routes.
“It’s not going to be an easy road, Jamaica,” said Desmond McKenzie, deputy chair of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council.
Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon confirmed that 77% of the island remains without power, though most water systems are functioning.
Despite the chaos, the government is working to reopen the island’s airports by Thursday to accelerate relief and recovery operations.
A Storm Fueled by a Changing Climate
Meteorologists describe Hurricane Melissa as a “case study in a new era of superstorms” — powered by record-warm ocean temperatures and slower jet stream movement.
At its peak, Melissa was one of the most powerful Atlantic landfalls ever recorded, with its sheer force overwhelming even well-prepared Caribbean nations.
The storm’s next target is the Bahamas, where residents are bracing for high winds, storm surges, and potential flash flooding as the hurricane tracks northwest toward Bermuda.
A Region in Mourning, a Long Road Ahead
With the official death toll climbing and hundreds of thousands displaced, recovery efforts in the Caribbean are just beginning.
From Haiti’s collapsed homes to Jamaica’s flooded hospitals and Cuba’s destroyed infrastructure, Hurricane Melissa’s impact will likely be felt for months — if not years.
“Melissa may be moving on,” one Jamaican aid worker said, “but for us, this is just the beginning of the struggle.”
