Hurricane Melissa hits Jamaica

2025-10-29 07:54:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Hurricane Melissa is wreaking havoc in Jamaica as the Caribbean nation faces the strongest storm in its modern history.

The hurricane, which weakened briefly Tuesday evening before strengthening again to a Category 4 storm with winds of 130 mph (209 kph), is heading toward Cuba and then the Bahamas. Earlier, Melissa hit the coast of Jamaica with winds of more than 115 mph (185 kph).

A Jamaica Meteorological Service official had warned that conditions would deteriorate significantly during the day, and the US National Hurricane Center predicted "catastrophic winds, flash flooding and severe storm surges."

Jamaican authorities urged residents and visitors to continue to stay in shelters, as nearly a third of the country was left without electricity.

"It's a catastrophic situation," the World Meteorological Organization's tropical cyclone specialist, Anne-Claire Fontan, said at a press conference, warning of storm surges up to four meters high.

"For Jamaica, this will be the storm of the century, for sure."

"Hospital roofs have collapsed," former Jamaican senator Imani Duncan-Price told the BBC.

"People are trying to save people in the middle of the storm."

Up to 76cm of rain is expected in some parts, with areas already experiencing flash flooding. Around 70% of the island's 2.8 million population lives within 5km of the sea.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness told CNN he expects "devastating impacts."

"The reports we've had so far include damage to hospitals, significant damage to residential properties, apartments and commercial properties as well," he told host Anderson Cooper on Tuesday night.

The government has not received any new reports of storm-related deaths, Holness said, but given the strength of the storm, he "expects there to be some loss of life."

Wildlife is also a threat. Health officials in Jamaica said the flooding could displace crocodiles from their natural habitat.

"Rising water levels in rivers, streams and swamps could cause crocodiles to move into residential areas," the Southeastern Regional Health Authority said in a statement./ CNA