Powerful Hurricane Melissa Wreaks Havoc in Jamaica, Threatens Cuba and Bahamas

On 2025-10-29T00:22:24+00:00, Hurricane Melissa, described as the "storm of the century," made landfall in Jamaica with catastrophic force. The powerful hurricane, packing 185 mph winds, swept in from the Atlantic, leaving a trail of death and destruction across the Caribbean island.

The storm has claimed at least 7 lives so far, flattening homes, cutting off communities, and sparking widespread flooding. Dubbed the most powerful storm in Jamaica's history, Melissa fell just 5 mph short of the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. The Jamaican government had ordered evacuations from high-risk areas and closed all airports, but officials fear thousands have ignored the warnings.

As the storm moves towards Cuba and the Bahamas, forecasters warn it could be even more destructive in those regions. In Cuba, nearly 900,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate from eastern provinces, while the US Navy has withdrawn about 1,000 non-essential personnel from its Guantanamo Bay base. The United Nations World Food Programme has positioned emergency food supplies in neighboring Haiti, but officials admit it is only a fraction of what would normally be needed.

The impact of Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica's economy, which was already struggling with a series of climate shocks and debt, is expected to be severe and could take years to repair.