Hurricane Melissa was moving towards the second-largest city in Cuba with the strength of a powerful Category 4 storm on Tuesday. Prior to this, it had struck neighboring Jamaica as the strongest cyclone ever recorded in that Caribbean nation. Melissa hit near Jamaica’s southwestern town of New Hope, with sustained winds reaching up to 185 mph (295 kph), exceeding the minimum wind speed for a Category 5 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
The parish of St Elizabeth in southwestern Jamaica experienced significant flooding, leaving over 500,000 residents without electricity. Prime Minister Andrew Holness mentioned damage to various infrastructure, including hospitals, residential and commercial properties, and roads. Although no storm-related fatalities were confirmed, the government anticipated some loss of life due to the hurricane’s intensity.
As Melissa moved past Jamaica’s mountains, its winds weakened to 145 mph (233 kph), posing a threat to highland communities susceptible to landslides and floods. The storm was expected to shift northeast towards Santiago de Cuba, the country’s second-most populous city. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel urged citizens to follow evacuation orders, anticipating significant damage from the cyclone.
Authorities in Cuba and the Bahamas ordered evacuations for hundreds of thousands of people as Melissa’s path progressed. Meanwhile, Haiti and the Dominican Republic reported four deaths due to heavy rainfall. Jamaica faced three storm-related deaths during preparations, with ongoing difficulties in accessing affected areas.
Jamaica was unaccustomed to direct hits from Category 4 or 5 storms, prompting the government to seek foreign assistance in the wake of Melissa. Meteorologists ranked Melissa as one of the most intense hurricanes observed in the Caribbean, emphasizing the potential for catastrophic storm surges. The storm’s impact was described as unprecedented by experts, with concerns raised about the increasing intensity of storms due to warmer ocean temperatures.
The slow progression of Hurricane Melissa raised concerns about prolonged destruction, necessitating critical aid for food supplies, agricultural recovery, and infrastructure restoration. The government allocated emergency funds for relief efforts following the storm’s impact. Melissa’s landfall in Jamaica’s vulnerable areas highlighted the urgent need for support in the aftermath of the disaster.
Residents in affected regions described the storm’s fury, with reports of flooding, power outages, and structural damage. Despite evacuation orders and shelter availability, many residents chose to remain in their homes, adding complexity to the humanitarian response. The Red Cross estimated that a significant portion of Jamaica’s population would be directly impacted by Hurricane Melissa.