Hurricane Melissa has unleashed massive destruction across the Caribbean islands, striking Jamaica with immense force before moving toward Cuba, where hundreds of thousands of residents are being evacuated to safety.
According to a report by Al Jazeera on Wednesday (October 29), although the storm has weakened slightly to a Category 4 hurricane, it remains extremely powerful and destructive. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that on Tuesday afternoon, the hurricane made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, with winds reaching 295 km/h (Category 5 intensity).
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has described Melissa as “the strongest storm of the century.” So far, seven people have died due to severe rain and flooding in Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
The NHC warned that strong and life-threatening winds are still blowing across northwest Jamaica. Meteorologists cautioned that Melissa could bring up to 700 millimeters of rainfall, nearly double the total monsoon average, potentially triggering flash floods, landslides, and widespread devastation.
Jamaican Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie said, “We have taken the highest level of preparation possible, but it is almost impossible to be fully ready for a Category 5 hurricane.”
The Red Cross estimated that around 1.5 million people in Jamaica could be affected. In the capital Kingston, fallen trees, broken power lines, and widespread blackouts have been reported.
Meanwhile, in Cuba, authorities have begun evacuating more than 600,000 people from coastal regions, including the city of Santiago and eastern Holguín Province.
Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Eduardo Martínez stated, “This is an extremely dangerous situation. We have never seen anything like it before.”
Meteorological data shows Hurricane Melissa is moving toward Cuba with winds nearing 300 km/h and is expected to make landfall as a Category 4 storm by Wednesday.
The United Nations, United States, European Union, United Kingdom, and France have all pledged emergency relief assistance for both Cuba and Jamaica.