Hurricane Melissa caused extensive devastation and numerous casualties in Cuba, Jamaica, and Haiti, displacing residents and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. In Jamaica’s St. Elizabeth parish, Santa Cruz was severely impacted by a landslide that blocked main roads, turning streets into muddy pits. Residents struggled to salvage belongings amid flooded homes, while a high school serving as a shelter lost part of its roof to the fierce winds.
The aftermath of the catastrophic Category 5 hurricane remains grim, with power outages and hazardous conditions hindering damage assessment. Reports from Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency indicate at least 25 fatalities and 18 individuals still missing, primarily concentrated in a southern coastal town where flooding caused the collapse of numerous homes. The mayor of Petit-Goave in southern Haiti, Jean Bertrand Subreme, appealed for urgent government intervention to aid in rescuing victims.
In Cuba, authorities reported collapsed houses, blocked roads, and roof damage, particularly in the southwest and northwest regions, with approximately 735,000 people seeking refuge in shelters. Residents like Reinaldo Charon in Santiago de Cuba described the harrowing experience as “hell,” enduring a night of relentless storm before Melissa weakened to a Category 2 hurricane.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Melissa exhibited sustained winds of 150 km/h, moving northeast towards the central Bahamas. Precautionary measures were underway in the Bahamas, where evacuations were being conducted to protect residents from the impending storm surge. Melissa’s projected path includes passing just west of Bermuda by late Thursday.
Canadian authorities issued travel advisories, urging citizens to avoid specific regions severely affected by Melissa, including Jamaica, certain Cuban provinces, Haiti, southeastern and central Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Bermuda. Emergency assistance for Canadians in distress is available through the Emergency Watch and Response Centre.
The United States pledged support for recovery efforts in the Caribbean, deploying rescue and response teams to assist affected countries. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed collaboration with Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas. Additionally, the U.S. government’s recent reinstatement of economic sanctions on Cuba, including a tourism ban, adds a layer of complexity to ongoing relief operations.
