Hurricane Melissa Devastates Jamaica, Heads Toward Eastern Cuba

Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 185 mph, made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, marking the strongest hurricane to hit the island in recorded history. The storm caused extensive damage, including power outages affecting over half a million residents, destruction of infrastructure, and severe flooding.

Jamaican authorities had initiated mass evacuations, opening approximately 900 shelters and issuing mandatory evacuation orders for several areas, including Port Royal in Kingston. Despite these efforts, some residents chose to remain in place.

After impacting Jamaica, Melissa weakened slightly to a Category 4 hurricane and is now moving toward eastern Cuba. Cuban officials have evacuated over 700,000 people from the region, including Santiago, the island’s second-largest city. The storm poses serious risks of flash flooding, landslides, and storm surges of up to 12 feet in Cuba and nearby regions, including Hispaniola, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos.

Scientists noted that Melissa rapidly intensified due to abnormally warm ocean temperatures, a phenomenon increasingly linked to climate change. Melissa is the fourth Atlantic storm of the year to undergo such rapid intensification, complicating emergency preparedness and forecasting efforts.

Humanitarian agencies had prepositioned supplies in preparation for post-storm relief efforts. The International Organization for Migration and other aid groups are coordinating relief efforts, with supplies expected by Thursday.