Powerful Hurricane Melissa Batters Eastern Cuba After Devastating Jamaica

On October 29, 2025, Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 4 storm, was bearing down on eastern Cuba after battering Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. Authorities in Cuba had evacuated more than 700,000 people in preparation for Melissa's landfall, which was expected to cause catastrophic damage in the Santiago de Cuba region and nearby areas.

The hurricane had top sustained winds of 130 mph and was moving northeast at 9 mph as it approached the Cuban coast. Forecasters warned that Melissa would generate a storm surge of up to 12 feet and drop up to 20 inches of rain in parts of eastern Cuba, likely triggering numerous landslides.

Prior to reaching Cuba, Melissa had already caused extensive damage in Jamaica, leaving over 500,000 customers without power and flooding parts of the island. The storm was blamed for seven deaths in the Caribbean, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic.

As Cuba braced for Melissa's impact, President Miguel Díaz-Canel assured the public that "no one is left behind and no resources are spared to protect the lives of the population." However, he also warned the public not to underestimate the power of the storm, which he described as "the strongest ever to hit national territory."