The Caribbean region is grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, a catastrophic Category 5 storm that has left a trail of widespread destruction, claimed numerous lives, and severely impacted millions across Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti. This powerful hurricane, one of the most intense on record for the Atlantic basin, made a devastating landfall in Jamaica on October 28th, unleashing record-breaking winds before weakening to a Category 3 as it moved over eastern Cuba the following day.
The Storm’s Unprecedented Fury
Hurricane Melissa, the thirteenth named storm and third Category 5 hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, rapidly intensified over unusually warm Atlantic waters, reaching maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. Before making landfall in Jamaica, it generated wind gusts as high as 252 mph, a record for dropsonde data. The storm’s immense force caused catastrophic damage, with extreme winds, life-threatening storm surges of up to 13 feet, and torrential rainfall impacting coastal areas and inland communities.
Devastation Across Nations: Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti Bear the Brunt
Jamaica bore the brunt of Melissa’s initial onslaught, enduring the strongest hurricane to ever make landfall on the island, surpassing Hurricane Gilbert. The economic toll is staggering, with preliminary estimates from the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank placing the physical damage at an all-time high of US$8.8 billion, equivalent to approximately 41% of Jamaica’s 2024 GDP. The destruction has been severe and widespread, affecting tens of thousands of homes, flattening crops, triggering landslides, and causing significant coastal flooding. Roads and bridges were obliterated, cutting off entire communities and hindering immediate rescue and relief efforts. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates over 4.8 million tonnes of debris now litter western Jamaica, obstructing access to essential services and slowing recovery.
In Cuba, Hurricane Melissa struck the southeastern coast as a Category 3 storm, causing extensive flooding, landslides, and structural damage across its eastern provinces, including Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguín, Granma, Las Tunas, and Camagüey. Critical infrastructure, such as electricity, water supply, health, and education services, suffered severe disruptions, with widespread power outages isolating communities. The hurricane compounded existing public health crises, including an arboviral outbreak and chronic shortages of power and fuel, creating a complex, multi-crisis situation. Reports indicate damage to nearly 1 million houses in affected provinces and significant agricultural losses.
Haiti, though not directly hit, experienced catastrophic flooding and landslides driven by Melissa’s torrential rains. The storm claimed numerous lives, with initial reports indicating at least 43 deaths, including children, and left thousands of homes flooded or destroyed, particularly in the southern regions. The widespread destruction has exacerbated Haiti’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, straining already fragile systems and leaving a significant portion of the population displaced and in need of urgent assistance.
Human Toll and Mounting Health Risks
Across the affected nations, an estimated 5 million people have been impacted by Hurricane Melissa. Displacement is widespread, with hundreds of thousands of individuals requiring shelter. A staggering number of health facilities have been severely damaged – over 700 across the region, including 642 in Cuba, 54 in Jamaica, and 10 in Haiti – severely hampering access to essential health services. This infrastructure collapse, combined with contaminated water sources and flooding, has significantly increased the risk of waterborne and vector-borne diseases, such as cholera, dengue, and malaria, particularly in eastern Cuba. The storm’s impact has also been profound for children, disrupting education for nearly 477,000 across the Caribbean, with hundreds of schools damaged or converted into shelters.
Infrastructure Collapse and Recovery Hurdles
The hurricane left a landscape of widespread power and communication outages, which persisted for weeks in some areas, severely limiting connectivity and hampering rescue and recovery operations. Damaged roads, landslides, and massive debris fields have blocked access to numerous communities, impeding the delivery of relief supplies and the restoration of vital services. The scale of the debris is immense, with over 4.8 million tonnes estimated in Jamaica alone. Efforts to restore power have been challenged by damaged infrastructure, with some areas anticipating prolonged outages.
Coordinated Response and Regional Solidarity
In the face of this immense disaster, a significant regional and international response is underway. United Nations agencies, including OCHA, WFP, UNICEF, WHO, UNDP, and IOM, are actively supporting government-led relief and recovery efforts in Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti. This includes providing essential logistics, food, shelter, medical supplies, hygiene kits, and psychosocial support. The US and UK have also deployed disaster response teams and provided substantial aid. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has demonstrated strong regional solidarity, with leaders visiting Jamaica to offer support and reaffirming the importance of collective action in crisis recovery. Anticipatory action frameworks, funded by mechanisms like the UN Global Emergency Fund (CERF), were activated to mobilize funds and aid before the storm hit, proving crucial in saving lives and mitigating some of the impact.
Looking Ahead: Reconstruction and Resilience
The devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa underscores the growing vulnerability of Caribbean nations to intensifying climate-driven disasters. Experts note that the storm’s rapid intensification is a stark indicator of climate change’s influence on tropical cyclones. The path to recovery will be long and arduous, requiring massive reconstruction efforts and a renewed focus on building greater resilience against future extreme weather events. The news today highlights the urgent need for sustainable solutions and long-term support for the affected communities as they strive to rebuild their lives and infrastructure.
The resilience of the Caribbean people is being tested, but regional and international partnerships are working to support the monumental task of rebuilding and fostering a more secure future for the region.