Hurricane Melissa slams eastern Cuba

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Melissa reached Cuba early Wednesday, October 29, as a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds, after devastating Jamaica a day earlier as a Category 5 storm with winds near 185 mph.

The storm, described by the NHC as «an extremely dangerous major hurricane,» has battered coastal cities such as Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo, prompting hurricane warnings and emergency evacuations across the eastern region.

Cuban authorities report severe flooding, toppled trees, and extensive damage to infrastructure, particularly in low-lying coastal towns.

So far, at least seven people have been confirmed dead across the region due to the storm, though officials warn that the number could rise as assessments continue.

Melissa's core is moving northeast across the island, far from the capital Havana, but its effects are being felt nationwide.

Roads have been cut off, power outages are widespread, and rescue teams are working around the clock to reach isolated communities.

The NHC forecasts that the hurricane will gradually weaken as it moves toward the Bahamas and Bermuda later this week.

However, meteorologists warn that dangerous storm surges and flash floods could continue to threaten Cuba for the next 24 hours.

Before hitting Cuba, Melissa tore through Jamaica on Tuesday, October 28, making landfall near New Hope as a Category 5 hurricane - the strongest storm ever recorded in the island's history.

The winds tore roofs from hospitals and homes, flooding streets and leaving entire communities without power.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has since declared the island a «disaster area.»

In an emotional message shared on Facebook, he wrote, «Our country has been ravaged by Hurricane Melissa, but we will rebuild and we will do so even better than before.»

Speaking to CNN, Holness acknowledged «significant damage to hospitals, housing, and commercial property,» adding that relief and reconstruction efforts are already underway.

Meteorologists now confirm that Hurricane Melissa is not only the strongest storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, but also one of the most powerful ever to make landfall in the Atlantic basin, matching the intensity of Hurricane Dorian (2019) and the 1935 Labor Day hurricane.