Jamaica's airport is completely destroyed
Photo credit: X - James Brooks
Jamaica is reeling after Hurricane Melissa tore across the island Tuesday, leaving catastrophic damage, mass flooding, and at least three dead.
The storm, dubbed «The Storm of the Century,» slammed into the Caribbean nation with 185 mph winds, toppling buildings and tearing through critical infrastructure.
New footage shared online shows the roof of Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay completely collapsed, with water still pouring into the flooded terminal.
Once bustling with travelers, the airport is now filled with debris and standing water.
Officials have since closed both Sangster International and Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston until conditions improve.
The storm has paralyzed air travel, cut off road access to several parishes, and left thousands without power or clean water.
Emergency teams continue to assess the full scope of the destruction as the island remains under a state of emergency.
Melissa : the «Storm of the Century» lives up to its name
Melissa's fury has already taken a devastating toll across the region.
According to The Independent, seven people have died in the Caribbean so far - three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic.
Meteorologists say Melissa's sustained wind speeds and massive rain bands make it one of the strongest hurricanes to ever strike Jamaica.
Entire neighborhoods have been submerged, and communication networks remain disrupted.
The Jamaican government has declared the entire island a disaster area, as rescue crews race to reach isolated communities.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness said in a statement that the situation remains dire, urging residents to stay sheltered and promising that «relief efforts are being mobilized as quickly as possible.»
By early Wednesday morning, the storm's eye had moved north, making landfall in eastern Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane.
Authorities there have begun large-scale evacuations in the provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo as the storm continues to unleash destructive winds and torrential rain.
Meteorologists predict that Melissa will weaken gradually as it moves toward the Bahamas and Bermuda, though it remains a dangerous system capable of life-threatening flooding.
For Jamaica, the cleanup is just beginning - and it may take months before the island fully recovers from a hurricane already being called one of the worst in its history.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 29 | 11 ANSWERS Jamaica's airport is completely destroyed Do you think Hurricane Melissa will be remembered as one of the Caribbean's worst storms? | ||
| Yes | 11 | 100 % |
| No | 0 | 0 % |
| Possibly | 0 | 0 % |
| List of polls | ||
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