Hurricane Melissa Devastates Jamaica with Record-Breaking Winds

Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm with sustained winds reaching 185 mph (298 km/h), made landfall in Jamaica on October 28, 2025, marking the most powerful hurricane to ever directly hit the island. The storm caused catastrophic damage, including the destruction of homes, hospitals, and churches, and forced nearly 15,000 Jamaicans into shelters.

The town of Black River on the island’s southwest coast was particularly hard-hit. Satellite imagery reveals that most buildings in the town have been heavily damaged, with debris lining every street. The Black River has burst its banks, and along the waterline, sediment runoff has left a brown strip of muddy water.

In Haiti, although Melissa did not make landfall, relentless rain caused fatal flooding, especially in Petit-Goave, where a river overflowed. Homes were destroyed, and over 12,000 people were displaced to shelters.

The storm also impacted Cuba, where over 735,000 people were evacuated. Melissa brought up to 20 inches of rain and significant storm surges, damaging infrastructure and cutting off communication for 241 communities.

Regional leaders have attributed the intensification of storms like Melissa to climate change and are urging for expanded global "loss and damage" funding.

Recovery efforts are underway, with the Jamaican government launching a dedicated relief website for donations supporting emergency relief, healthcare, housing, and economic recovery. Numerous international NGOs are also mobilizing to provide aid through logistics, healthcare, food distribution, and clean energy solutions.