Major Update Regarding Melissa in Jamaica
Photo credit: Twitter AccuWeather
Jamaica is facing one of the most powerful storms in its history. Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall Tuesday afternoon as a Category 5 hurricane, has now been downgraded to Category 4.
Despite the slight weakening, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warns that conditions remain «extremely dangerous.»
The storm struck the island's southwest coast near New Hope, about 160 kilometers from Kingston, with sustained winds still exceeding 250 km/h.
The hurricane tore off roofs, uprooted trees, and left hundreds of thousands without power as it moved slowly northward across the island.
Melissa is now expected to continue toward Cuba in the coming hours, though forecasters caution that it remains highly destructive and will likely maintain its strength over the warm Caribbean waters.
According to meteorologists, Melissa is the strongest hurricane ever recorded in Jamaica's history.
By comparison, Hurricane Katrina - which devastated New Orleans in 2005 and killed more than 1,000 people - was weaker when it made landfall.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared a nationwide state of emergency, calling the situation «unprecedented.»
«Our priority is saving lives, restoring essential services, and rebuilding our communities,» he said during a televised briefing.
Hospitals in Kingston are operating on backup generators, and several coastal highways have been flooded.
Social media videos show neighborhoods underwater, homes destroyed, and cars swept away by powerful floodwaters.
Emergency crews are struggling to reach isolated communities, while the Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations prepare to deploy relief operations.
Officials have already confirmed several fatalities, though an exact death toll has not yet been released.
Climate change intensifies Caribbean storms
Experts say Melissa intensified rapidly in the 24 hours before landfall - a phenomenon increasingly linked to rising ocean temperatures caused by climate change.
Even as a Category 4 storm, Melissa continues to unleash torrential rain, hurricane-force winds, and landslides across the island.
The NHC warns that life-threatening flash floods and storm surges remain possible through Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Cuba's eastern provinces of Guantánamo and Santiago de Cuba are now under hurricane warnings as Melissa moves north.
For Jamaicans, the storm's devastation is a painful reminder of the region's growing vulnerability.
The island, already recovering from previous hurricanes, now faces another long and costly road to recovery.
As Prime Minister Holness said, «The strength of the Jamaican people has always been our greatest resource - and we will rise again.»
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 28 | 10 ANSWERS Major Update Regarding Melissa in Jamaica Do you think Jamaica will recover quickly after Hurricane Melissa? | ||
| Yes | 3 | 30 % |
| No | 2 | 20 % |
| Slowly | 5 | 50 % |
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