Severe flooding engulfed the southwestern region of Jamaica, causing substantial destruction as Hurricane Melissa made landfall as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, ranking among the most powerful hurricanes in the Atlantic on record.
The impact of Melissa was felt with landslides, uprooted trees, and widespread power outages as it hit near New Hope with winds reaching 295 km/h, prompting officials to warn of a slow recovery process and challenging damage assessment.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness emphasized the lack of infrastructure capable of withstanding a Category 5 hurricane in the region, underscoring the urgency for a swift recovery operation.
In the western Jamaican community of Black River, floodwaters trapped multiple families in their homes, hindering rescue efforts due to perilous conditions, according to Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council.
“Roofs were torn off,” McKenzie stated. “We are hopeful that conditions will improve to facilitate rescue operations for those affected individuals.”
Expressing the extent of damage, McKenzie highlighted the severe impact on St. Elizabeth parish in the southwest, stating that the area was submerged under floodwaters.
Although no fatalities have been confirmed, McKenzie cautioned against premature assessments of the overall damage, citing ongoing severe conditions from the historic hurricane, the strongest to hit Jamaica in recorded history spanning 174 years.
Jamaica’s Meteorological Service’s Rohan Brown issued a warning on the potential storm surge as Melissa moves along the coast, directing heavy impacts toward northern Jamaica throughout the night.
The hurricane is now tracking towards Cuba, with projections indicating an imminent landfall as a significant hurricane early Wednesday.
Approximately 15,000 individuals sought refuge in shelters in Jamaica, with a staggering 77% of customers, totaling around 540,000, left without electricity, as per official reports.
Colin Bogle, an aid adviser from Mercy Corps, revealed that many families in Kingston opted to remain in place despite evacuation orders, with Bogle himself sheltering with his grandmother in Portmore, where power was lost due to a loud explosion.
Describing the intense situation, Bogle stated, “The hurricane’s noise is continuous, causing anxiety among people who are simply enduring until the storm subsides.”
Dealing with the aftermath
By Tuesday evening, Melissa sustained winds of 205 km/h, moving north-northeast at 13 km/h into the Caribbean Sea, as reported by the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The hurricane’s center was positioned about 80 kilometers east-n