The death toll from Hurricane Melissa has climbed to 49 people, and many remain missing after the destructive “Category 5” storm tore through parts of the Caribbean.
Officials in Haiti reported at least 30 fatalities and some 20 individuals missing after days of relentless rainfall triggered by Melissa, even though Haiti did not take the full brunt of the storm.
In Jamaica, the government confirmed 19 deaths following the storm’s direct impact, while the Dominican Republic reported one death before Melissa moved on.
Melissa’s category 5-strength winds reached speeds of up to 295 km/h (183 mph) when it made landfall on Jamaica’s western side, avoiding the capital, Kingston, but leaving devastation in more remote and vulnerable regions.
After hitting Jamaica, the storm battered parts of Cuba as a category 3 before continuing past the Bahamas and on toward Bermuda, with its path expected within 60 km (37 miles) of the island.
The infrastructure damage is extensive; in Jamaica alone, around 70 percent of electricity customers remained without power, and relief efforts are racing to clear downed trees, power lines and rebuild access roads.
Read More: Tropical Storm Melissa Threatens Caribbean Islands with Heavy Rain, Flood Risks
According to the United Nations local coordinator, the destruction in Jamaica is “never seen before” for the island.
Preliminary estimates from weather analysts suggest that the financial cost of the damage could fall in the US $48-52 billion range. Meanwhile, relief teams from the United States Agency for International Development have been dispatched to assist Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas and Cuba.
With Melissa still spinning and on its way near Bermuda, authorities remain on high alert for further winds, rain and flooding.
The scale of destruction underlines the heightened risks Caribbean nations face as storms grow in intensity and raise urgent questions about preparedness and resilience in vulnerable communities.
Rescue operations continue as families wait anxiously for news of missing loved ones and countries begin the long task of rebuilding in the aftermath of one of the most powerful storms to strike the region this season.
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