At least 19 people have died in Jamaica and 30 in Haiti after Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful storms to strike the Caribbean, tore through the region with winds reaching 185 mph (295 km/h).
In Jamaica, entire communities have been flattened, with thousands stranded without electricity, food, or clean water. Major infrastructure damage has left roads impassable and slowed aid deliveries, while regional airports remain partly operational.
Satellite images show near-total destruction in some villages, and residents report catastrophic losses, with homes swept away and widespread displacement.
Across the Caribbean, the humanitarian toll continues to mount. In Haiti, most deaths occurred after a river overflowed in Petit-Goave, with over 15,000 people now sheltering in emergency facilities.
Cuba evacuated 735,000 people but reported no fatalities, despite severe flooding cutting off 240 communities. Governments and aid agencies, including the World Food Programme, the US, and the UK, are sending emergency supplies and funds, while Bermuda braces for impact as the storm moves north.
Pray For Jamaica! 🙏🏼😢
From paradise to devastation, Black River, Jamaica, before and after Hurricane Melissa.
An entire town reshaped in just hours by Mother Nature. pic.twitter.com/XjaTnWdbqH
— DK🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸 (@1Nicdar) October 30, 2025
Tin pan alley