Aerial view shows destroyed homes and flooding in Black River, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, after Hurricane Melissa swept through the Caribbean. October 29, 2025. (Photo: Ricardo Makyn/AFP)
Communities in western Jamaica are struggling to recover after Hurricane Melissa tore through the island, leaving widespread devastation and at least 28 people dead.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness confirmed the updated death toll late Saturday, warning that more casualties could still be discovered as search and rescue operations continue.
Melissa slammed into Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm the strongest to hit the country in 90 yearswith sustained winds of 185 miles (300 kilometers) per hour. The hurricane flattened homes, uprooted trees, and brought life to a halt across several parishes, including Westmoreland and Saint Elizabeth.
Residents in the hard-hit town of Whitehouse described scenes of ruin. Roofs were ripped away, power lines snapped, and entire neighborhoods were left unrecognizable. Large areas remain without electricity or communication services, making it difficult to determine the full scale of destruction.
The storm also battered other parts of the Caribbean, killing at least 31 people in Haiti including 10 children and causing heavy damage in Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
Nahuel Arenas, regional head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, said the storm’s economic impact could equal Jamaica’s entire annual GDP, estimated at $20 billion in 2024. “These are losses that will weigh heavily on the economy of all Jamaicans for years to come,” Arenas said.
International aid is beginning to flow in. The World Health Organization has deployed medical teams, while the United Nations released $4 million from its emergency fund to support relief efforts. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for “massive international support” to help Jamaica rebuild.
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