October 29, 2025
With 185 mph winds, Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on Tuesday afternoon. It’s the first Category 5 to hit the island in Jamaica’s recorded history.
Hurricane Melissa continues its path of destruction in the Caribbean, making landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 with winds of 120 mph just hours after devastating Jamaica.
With 185 mph winds, Melissa made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on Tuesday afternoon. It’s the first Category 5 to hit the island in Jamaica’s recorded history and is reportedly stronger than Hurricane Katrina, as BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported.
For Cubans, the National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Melissa will cause life-threatening storm surge, flash flooding, and landslides despite the storm’s weakening as it approaches Cuba.
The Bahamas is the next destination on the storm’s warpath and is expected to make landfall on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 2.
Jamaicans Waking Up To No Electricity, Devastation
As the sun rose in Jamaica on Wednesday, the morning light painted a picture of the widespread devastation Hurricane Melissa caused. While it’s still too early to know the full scope of the storm’s impact, more than 500,000 Jamaica Public Service customers — 77% of the total customer base —are without electricity, NBC News reported.
On social media, people who have been in contact with loved ones on the island are also sharing updates on the destruction.
“A little update from my family in Jamaica: they survive, but the whole country is suffering and dangerously damaged,” Breanna Rywelski writes. “Our family house is going to be needing lot of repair, the whole rooftop is gone, and water damage [is] inside the house. All main/major roads in Jamaica are impassable.”
“My family is ok. However, the damages done in certain areas are beyond my comprehension,” another person wrote. “One rural area lost a major hospital. Entire structures are gone. Bridges are gone. Landslide, flooding, etc […] Whatever you do to engage with the universe, please do it for us.”
Hurricane Melissa Aftermath: What’s Next?
Government officials have set up a resource page as communities look to rebuild. The site is three-fold: it provides a preliminary national needs list, allows people to report incidents such as missing people, roadblocks, and more, and includes a donation link for people to contribute to medical aid, food, and shelter.
Stay up to date with the latest humanitarian efforts and contribute here.
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