KINGSTON, Jamaica — The death toll from Hurricane Melissa has risen to 19, according to Information Minister Dr. Dana Morris Dixon.
The minister confirmed that eight bodies were recovered in St. Elizabeth, nine in Westmoreland, and two in St. James, including the body of a child.
Dr. Morris Dixon said search and rescue operations are ongoing in the hardest-hit parishes as emergency teams continue to recover victims and assess the extent of the devastation.
“The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) has dedicated a helicopter to locate and coordinate the collection of the bodies of persons who lost their lives during Hurricane Melissa,” Dr. Morris Dixon said Thursday morning.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm, bringing catastrophic winds, heavy rainfall, and severe flooding across several parishes.
Authorities have urged residents to remain cautious, as floodwaters and unstable structures still pose dangers in affected communities.
