Hurricane Melissa hits the Caribbean area
- Doyoung Lim
- Nov 19
- 1 min read
Nov 19, 2025
Doyoung Lim
According to the Caribbean nation’s prime minister, Hurricane Melissa made risen on 28th October, killing thousands of people in Jamaica. This hurricane, categorized as a Category five hurricane- the strongest type- has caused dozens of deaths across the Caribbean, bringing strong winds to Cuba and Haiti. Emergency aid agencies are struggling to reach certain parts of the country in the aftermath of the hurricane due to blocked roads and flooding.
Communities on the island’s western side, such as Black River and Montego Bay, have seen the worst of the destruction. The Red Cross reports that 72% of people across the country still lack access to electricity, and approximately 6,000 individuals are currently in emergency shelters. In Cuba, thousands of people have been evacuated as more than 60,000 homes have been severely damaged.
Melissa has become the most powerful storm on record to hit Jamaica, and one of the strongest seen in the Caribbean. The hurricane had sustained winds of 185 mph (295km/h). At least 31 people have been killed in Haiti as a result of Melissa, while at least two deaths have been reported in the Dominican Republic.
Jamaican officials confirmed to the news agency AFP that multiple hospitals were established to treat people in the affected areas. Jamaica’s airports have temporarily closed due to the hurricane, and held up the reaching of those in need. Emergency rescue teams have been working on saving people from the severe consequences of the hurricane. And the damage from the hurricane is expected to gradually lessen in the coming months.
