HAVANA — The Caribbean is reeling. Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the region, has unleashed its fury — first devastating Jamaica, then striking Cuba with unrelenting force.
By early Wednesday, the hurricane’s 120 mph (195 kph) winds tore into Cuba’s southern coast, toppling trees, flooding towns, and cutting off power to entire provinces, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Authorities reported that more than 735,000 people were evacuated in eastern Cuba before the storm’s landfall — a desperate but necessary move as President Miguel Díaz-Canel warned of “significant damage” and urged citizens to obey evacuation orders.
Melissa, which roared into Jamaica just hours earlier, was the strongest storm ever to hit the island, with sustained winds reaching 185 mph (295 kph) — a terrifying Category 5 strength.
Though it weakened slightly to a Category 3 as it approached Cuba, its impact remains catastrophic.
Jamaica Drowned in Devastation
In Jamaica, the aftermath was nothing short of heartbreaking. Entire communities in St. Elizabeth Parish were left “underwater,” officials said, and half a million residents were plunged into darkness.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, speaking in a CNN interview, described widespread destruction.
“We’ve seen damage to hospitals, homes, businesses, and major roads,” he said. “We are still assessing the full impact, but given the storm’s strength, we expect there will be loss of life.”
Early reports indicated at least three deaths during storm preparations, including a local disaster coordinator who tragically suffered a stroke as the hurricane made landfall.
Meteorologists say Hurricane Melissa ranks among the top three most intense storms in Caribbean history — following Hurricane Wilma (2005) and Hurricane Gilbert (1988), which was the last major storm to hit Jamaica directly.
A Storm Fueled by a Warming World
Experts warn that hurricanes like Melissa are intensifying faster and becoming more frequent as ocean temperatures rise. Caribbean leaders have once again renewed calls for wealthy, high-emission nations to step up — demanding aid, climate reparations, and debt relief for vulnerable island states.
As Melissa moved past Jamaica’s mountain ranges, its rains continued to pound highland villages, triggering floods and landslides. In the Bahamas, officials rushed to evacuate southern islands, bracing for impact.
Meanwhile, farther east, Haiti and the Dominican Republic — already battered by days of torrential downpours — reported at least four deaths from floods ahead of the storm.
A Region United in Resilience
Across the Caribbean, homes are gone, power is out, and families are displaced. Yet amid the destruction, one thing remains stronger than the wind itself — the spirit of its people.
From Kingston to Havana, communities are coming together, sharing what little they have left, and holding onto hope.
Because even after the world’s fiercest storm passes… the Caribbean’s heart still beats on.
