Hurricane Melissa devastates Jamaica and moves toward Cuba
Photo: aftermath of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica (Getty Images)
After a powerful strike on Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa is now approaching Cuba. The disaster caused extensive destruction — over half a million people were evacuated, and hundreds of thousands were left without power, according to Reuters.
Melissa devastates Jamaica and heads toward Cuba
On Tuesday, Hurricane Melissa was advancing toward Cuba’s second-largest city, Santiago de Cuba, with the force of a Category 4 storm.
Just a few hours earlier, the cyclone had hit Jamaica as the strongest hurricane in the island’s recorded history.
Near the town of New Hope in the island’s southwest, wind speeds reached 295 km/h — exceeding the minimum threshold for a Category 5 hurricane.
In the country’s southwest, St. Elizabeth Parish was submerged, and more than half a million people were left without electricity.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness reported that hospitals, residential buildings, and roads had been destroyed, but no official deaths have yet been confirmed. He did not rule out, however, that given the scale of destruction, casualties are likely.
Mass evacuations in Cuba and the Bahamas
According to the US National Hurricane Center, after leaving Jamaica, Melissa weakened slightly to 233 km/h and moved toward Cuba.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel urged citizens to comply with evacuation orders, warning of severe destruction.
Cuban authorities said that about 500,000 people had already been evacuated to safe areas.
In the Bahamas, which also lie in the hurricane’s path, the government began evacuating residents from the southern islands.
Meanwhile, in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, heavy rains caused at least four deaths. Local media also reported three deaths in Jamaica during preparations for the storm.
“Storm of the century” and consequences of the climate crisis
Meteorologists describe Melissa as the third most powerful hurricane in the Caribbean basin after Wilma (2005) and Gilbert (1988). For Jamaica, it is the first time in history to experience a direct hit by a Category 4 or 5 storm.
Representatives of the World Meteorological Organization warned of waves up to 4 meters high and called the situation “catastrophic.”
Local residents described the hurricane as a “roaring lion.” In the hardest-hit areas, hospitals have been destroyed, towns flooded, and more than 15,000 people are currently staying in temporary shelters.
The International Federation of the Red Cross forecasts that up to 1.5 million people in Jamaica could be affected by the hurricane’s aftermath.
Experts emphasize that Melissa, like other recent hurricanes, is a result of global warming and the rising temperature of ocean waters, which make tropical storms stronger and more destructive.
As a reminder, on October 27, Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica with record force, bringing devastating winds and torrential rains. Wind speeds reached 282 km/h — the maximum fifth category of danger.
