Hurricane Melissa Leaves Devastation Across Jamaica as Death Toll Rises

Published: 31 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk

Hurricane Melissa has left widespread devastation in Jamaica, claiming at least 19 lives, as rescue operations continue and authorities struggle to deliver aid to the hardest-hit regions. Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon described the scenes as “devastating,” noting that entire communities appear marooned while many areas in the western part of the country have been flattened.

The hurricane, one of the most powerful to hit the Caribbean, has also killed at least 30 people in Haiti. In Jamaica, electricity remains out for much of the island, and residents are facing shortages of water and food as they try to salvage their homes and belongings from floodwaters and mud. Aid has started arriving more steadily, with Kingston’s main airport largely operational, but smaller regional airports, often closest to the worst-hit areas, remain only partially functional.

Relief efforts are being hampered by damaged roads and fallen trees, leaving many in western Jamaica without essential supplies. A normally one-hour journey from Mandeville to Black River now takes up to eight hours due to road destruction. Aid convoys and military vehicles face significant challenges navigating the debris-strewn routes.

Residents have described the destruction in harrowing terms. Olivia Cream, who lost her beachside home in Black River, recounted sheltering in a neighbour’s attic as 30-foot waves tore through the area. “We watched everything come apart around us,” she said, describing entire families now living on the streets with infants. In Santa Cruz, streets were filled with mud, debris, and the hum of generators as residents tried to recover what they could. Satellite imagery indicates that nearly all buildings in some villages were destroyed.

Haitian authorities reported many deaths caused by river flooding in Petit-Goave, with thousands taking shelter in emergency facilities. In Cuba, over three million people were exposed to life-threatening conditions, with more than 735,000 evacuated safely. Although no fatalities have been reported in Cuba, nearly 240 communities remain isolated due to flooding and landslides.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category Five storm, with winds reaching 185 mph (295 km/h), before moving across the Caribbean. Governments, humanitarian organisations, and individuals worldwide have pledged support. The World Food Programme is coordinating logistics, cash, and emergency supplies across Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.

The US State Department is deploying a disaster response team to assist with search and rescue and provide essential aid, including food, water, medical supplies, hygiene kits, and temporary shelters. The UK government has announced an additional £5 million in humanitarian support, in addition to the £2.5 million already committed, to deliver shelter kits and solar-powered lanterns to those affected. Flights are being prepared to evacuate British nationals unable to return home by commercial routes.

Meanwhile, Bermuda is preparing for the hurricane’s approach, expected to arrive as a Category Two storm. Government offices and schools have been closed, and residents have been urged to stay off roads until officials can safely assess and clear debris.

Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean, with communities struggling to recover amid ongoing rescue operations, severe infrastructure damage, and the urgent need for humanitarian support.