Hurricane Melissa Death Toll Rises to 67, Insured Losses in Jamaica Could Exceed $4 Billion

Hurricane Melissa has left a devastating impact across the Caribbean, with at least 67 confirmed deaths and insured losses in Jamaica alone estimated to reach up to $4 billion, officials reported Monday.

Jamaica’s Education Minister, Dana Morris Dixon, confirmed that 32 people have died in Jamaica, adding to 34 deaths in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic.

“All of Jamaica is going through this period of mourning and this period of pain,” Dixon said.

At the storm’s peak, 77% of homes and businesses in Jamaica lost power. By Monday afternoon, less than 50% remained without electricity, according to Hugh Grant, president and CEO of Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS).

“We understand the inconvenience and help is on the way,” Grant assured.

As evacuees return to their damaged homes, the scale of destruction has been emotionally overwhelming.

“Seeing the videos and the photographs is one thing, but actually being there in person and seeing the damage is quite another,” Jamaican Sen. Abka Fitz-Henley shared on X after visiting Saint Elizabeth Parish. “It’s heartbreaking.”

He described being unable to forget the sight of two children standing in the street “looking desolate with a sign saying they’re hungry and they want food.”

“I’d urge all Jamaicans who are able, let us do what we can to assist our brothers and sisters, our children, boys and girls, to build back stronger,” he added.

Massive Financial and Structural Losses

Data analytics firm Verisk estimated that insured losses in Jamaica range from $2.2 billion to $4.2 billion. The company noted that many roofs in Jamaica were built under informal practices, often with little to no professional oversight — a factor that contributed to the widespread destruction.

“Under these circumstances, significant damage and, in a number of cases, near total destruction of buildings,” Verisk reported, calling Melissa “the most intense hurricane to make landfall in Jamaica since record keeping began.”

Across the Caribbean, overall damage is estimated between $48 billion and $52 billion, according to AccuWeather.

The United States pledged at least $11 million in aid to support Jamaica’s relief and recovery efforts, according to a statement from Scott Renner, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica.