Hurricane Melissa Leaves a Trail of Destruction Across the Caribbean
Hurricane Melissa has left an unforgettable mark across the Caribbean, bringing chaos, devastation, and heartbreak to several island nations. Over the past few days, this powerful storm has torn through Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Bahamas, leaving behind a trail of wreckage and lives forever changed.
Melissa first roared into Jamaica as a monstrous Category 5 hurricane, one of the strongest ever recorded in the Atlantic. Winds howled, trees were uprooted, and homes were ripped apart. In the parish of St. Elizabeth, the destruction has been described as nothing short of catastrophic. Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that the “entire infrastructure” of the town of Black River has been destroyed — hospitals, churches, courthouses, and historic buildings all suffered immense damage. Satellite images show flooded streets, collapsed roofs, and debris scattered everywhere.
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Residents spoke of terrifying experiences as the storm passed. One hospital worker from St. Elizabeth Parish said it felt like “missiles were blowing through the glass.” Many families are now left with nothing — no food, no shelter, and no personal documents. Yet, amid the despair, survivors express gratitude simply to be alive.
The tragedy didn’t stop in Jamaica. In Haiti, rivers overflowed, causing deadly flooding that has taken at least 23 lives, including ten children. Across Cuba, hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed, crops like coffee and yuca were wiped out, and communication networks were cut off. In the Bahamas, Melissa continues to unleash strong winds and torrential rain as it moves through the islands as a Category 1 hurricane.
The death toll continues to rise, and thousands remain cut off by damaged roads and rising waters. Emergency teams in Jamaica are struggling to reach isolated areas, and the national blood supply has hit critically low levels due to disruptions caused by the storm. The U.S. State Department has deployed disaster response teams across the Caribbean, while aid from organizations like World Central Kitchen and Team Rubicon is being mobilized.
Meteorologists say Melissa has been an unusually persistent storm, rapidly intensifying twice before striking land. Experts believe warmer-than-average ocean temperatures helped fuel its explosive growth. Now, as the storm races northeast over the Atlantic and toward Bermuda, it’s expected to strengthen again briefly before finally weakening at sea.
But even as Melissa moves away, the scars it has left behind will take far longer to heal. Entire towns are in ruins, lives have been lost, and thousands are struggling to rebuild from the ground up. As one Jamaican official put it, “Catastrophic is a mild word. We need all the help we can get.”
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