Hurricane Melissa Devastates Jamaica, Nation Declared Disaster Zone

 

Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica on Tuesday (October 28, 2025), unleashing catastrophic winds and torrential rain as one of the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded. The storm’s ferocity left widespread destruction before weakening slightly and moving toward Cuba.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared Jamaica a “disaster area”, warning citizens to stay indoors amid continued flooding and landslide threats. Much of the island remained without power, and communications were severely disrupted, making it difficult to assess the full scale of the devastation.

At its peak, Melissa packed sustained winds of 300 kmph, surpassing even the intensity of historic storms such as 2005’s Katrina. Although the hurricane weakened to a Category 3 storm by Tuesday evening, its impact on Jamaica was immense, particularly in the southwestern parish of Saint Elizabeth, which officials said was “underwater.”

Government Minister Desmond McKenzie reported that several hospitals were damaged, including facilities in Saint Elizabeth — known as Jamaica’s agricultural “breadbasket.” “The damage to Saint Elizabeth is extensive,” he said, adding that the entire island “has felt the brunt of Melissa.”

Before Melissa made landfall, seven deaths — three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic — were already attributed to the storm’s deteriorating conditions.

Jamaica’s Climate Change Minister described the hurricane’s effects as “catastrophic,” with homes flooded, infrastructure severely damaged, and hospitals struggling to operate.

Adding to the crisis, health authorities warned residents to be cautious of crocodiles displaced by flooding. “Rising water levels in rivers, gullies, and swamps could cause crocodiles to move into residential areas,” the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) posted on Instagram.

From the capital Kingston, resident Mathue Tapper, 31, said those in the city were “lucky” but deeply concerned for people in Jamaica’s rural western regions. “My heart goes out to the folks living on the western end of the island,” he told AFP.

As Melissa moved away from Jamaica, it was expected to strike Cuba later Tuesday night before heading toward the Bahamas — leaving behind a trail of destruction reminiscent of some of the worst hurricanes in modern history, including Katrina, Maria, and Harvey.