Hurricane Melissa kills over 30, leaving Caribbean with major humanitarian and recovery challenges
Traffic snarled as stoplights lay among piles of debris, trees and power lines lay in ruin, and streets became rivers. Entire communities were swept away by fierce winds and floodwaters, according to satellite imagery.
Jamaica awoke Thursday to scenes of widespread devastation, nearly 48 hours after Hurricane Melissa tore through the island as the most powerful storm in its history and one of the strongest ever recorded. The United Nations described the damage as unprecedented. Cuba also faced significant impacts, with homes collapsed and roads blocked, as roughly 735,000 people had spent the night in shelters, though the full extent of the destruction remains unclear.
Melissa, with winds that once reached 185 mph, has killed at least seven people in Jamaica and 27 across the Caribbean this week. By Thursday morning, the storm was moving toward the Bahamas and Bermuda as a still-dangerous Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph winds, prompting shelter-in-place warnings.
For Jamaica and Cuba, the immediate challenge is providing aid to affected communities and beginning the recovery process. More than 400,000 people in Jamaica have been directly impacted, prompting international and NGO assistance. U.S.-based humanitarian groups are sending teams and essential supplies, including water purification kits and medical items, while the U.N. World Food Programme plans to deliver emergency food boxes to feed thousands.
The American Red Cross is operating ambulances across Jamaica, responding to emergencies in shelters and transporting people to hospitals. Prime Minister Andrew Holness visited the hard-hit St. James community, sharing video of homes inundated with water and mud.
"Despite the difficulties, the Jamaican spirit shines through as a strong reminder we are a resilient nation with the capacity to triumph over adversity," Holness said.
The U.N. has warned that recovery will take months. "I don't think there's any single soul on this island that was not affected by Hurricane Melissa," said U.N. Resident Coordinator Dennis Zulu. Jamaica has opened an official Hurricane Melissa Relief fund to accept donations for recovery efforts.
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