Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared Jamaica a “disaster area” after Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Caribbean, tore through the island as a Category 5 hurricane on Tuesday.
The storm ripped roofs from homes, inundated farmland, and left most of the island’s 2.8 million residents without power. Holness warned that while no deaths were yet confirmed, authorities expect “loss of life” as assessments continue.
Melissa weakened to Category 3 while crossing Jamaica but quickly restrengthened as it moved toward Cuba, where authorities have evacuated more than 700,000 people. The U.S. National Hurricane Center warned that the storm could cause catastrophic damage in eastern Cuba, with up to 20 inches of rain and a 12-foot storm surge expected.
Jamaica’s local government minister, Desmond McKenzie, said nearly every parish suffered major damage, with St. Elizabeth, the country’s main agricultural hub, “under water.” Health Minister Christopher Tufton confirmed that four hospitals sustained significant damage.
Journalist Robian Williams described Melissa as “the worst storm we’ve ever experienced,” while residents across Kingston and western Jamaica reported destroyed homes and widespread flooding.
Climate experts, including activist Mikaela Loach, blamed the storm’s unprecedented strength on warming ocean temperatures fueled by climate change. Jamaica, responsible for just 0.02% of global emissions, faces growing risks from increasingly severe tropical storms.
As relief and recovery efforts begin, Holness vowed to mobilize all national resources to aid affected communities, calling the storm’s impact “devastating but not defeating.”
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