Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful storms to hit the Caribbean in recent years, has claimed at least 25 lives in Haiti and caused widespread devastation across Jamaica, before moving north toward the Bahamas on Thursday.
In Haiti, torrential rain triggered flash floods and river overflows, submerging villages and sweeping away homes and vehicles. The southern town of Petit-Goâve was among the worst affected after the La Digue river burst its banks, inundating entire neighbourhoods. Officials fear the death toll could rise as rescuers continue to search for missing residents in areas cut off by floodwaters.
One of the survivors stood helpless by the side of the ruins of her home and recalled the how the huge waves came in like a thick blanket of dark clouds, just to was away everything within seconds. With bridges washed away and roads blocked by debris, emergency teams are struggling to reach remote areas. Haiti’s response capacity, already weakened by years of political instability and limited infrastructure, has been stretched thin.
Across the sea, Jamaica bore the full brunt of Melissa’s Category 5 winds, the strongest ever recorded on the island. Roofs were ripped off, power lines snapped, and roads turned into muddy torrents. Thousands of homes remain without electricity or clean water, and several communities are still isolated.
Meteorologists warned that Melissa, though slightly weakened, continues to pack winds exceeding 200 km/h as it moves toward the Bahamas and parts of Cuba. Authorities in Nassau have issued red alerts, closed airports, and ordered mass evacuations from low-lying coastal areas.
Regional leaders and aid agencies have begun mobilising relief efforts, with supplies of food, water, and medical aid en route to affected islands. As the Caribbean braces for another landfall, exhausted survivors cling to hope that the storm’s fury will soon subside, allowing the long process of recovery to begin.
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