Hurricane Melissa Hits Jamaica With Record Winds and Catastrophic Floods

Hurricane Melissa, a record-tying Category 5 colossus with sustained 185 mph winds and a bone-crushing 892 millibar central pressure, made catastrophic landfall near New Hope in southwestern Jamaica Tuesday afternoon, unleashing hellish destruction across the island nation. Roofs were ripped from homes like paper, massive trees toppled onto roads, landslides buried entire communities, and floodwaters turned streets into rivers, submerging the parish of St. Elizabeth entirely under a deluge described as “biblical” by local officials.

The storm’s ferocious eyewall battered coastal towns with gusts exceeding 200 mph in isolated bursts, snapping concrete power poles and plunging 540,000 customers—77% of Jamaica’s population—into darkness. One confirmed fatality occurred when a tree crushed a home in a rural village, part of seven deaths across the Caribbean (three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, one in the Dominican Republic, with another person missing). In Black River, at least three families remained trapped inside flooded homes as raging currents and flying debris made rescue attempts impossible. “Roofs were flying off like kites,” said Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council. “We’re praying conditions ease soon.”

Four major hospitals sustained severe damage; one lost all power, forcing the urgent evacuation of 75 patients to safer facilities. Prime Minister Andrew Holness, surveying early reports, declared: “No infrastructure in the region can withstand a Category 5. The real challenge now is the speed of recovery.” With communication lines down and access roads blocked by boulders and debris, full damage assessments may take days.

Also Read: US Hurricane Hunters Fly Into Eye of Historic Hurricane Melissa

By Tuesday night, Melissa had slightly weakened to a still-dangerous Category 3 with 125 mph winds, moving north-northeast at 8 mph. Its center was located 50 miles east-northeast of Montego Bay, Jamaica, and 160 miles southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. The storm’s counterclockwise spin is now driving a life-threatening storm surge—up to 13 feet—toward northern Jamaica through the night, threatening coastal hospitals and low-lying communities.

Nearly 15,000 residents sought refuge in government shelters, though many ignored mandatory evacuation orders in flood-prone areas. In Portmore, resident Colin Bogle sheltered with his grandmother as a transformer exploded nearby, plunging the area into darkness. “The noise is relentless—howling winds, crashing metal, trees snapping. People are anxious, just holding on until it passes,” he told reporters via satellite phone.

Meteorologists Phil Klotzbach and Brian McNoldy confirmed Melissa tied two historic Atlantic records: matching the 1935 Labor Day hurricane’s 892 mb pressure—the lowest at landfall—and equaling Hurricane Dorian’s 185 mph winds in 2019. “It’s been a remarkable, just a beast of a storm,” Klotzbach said.

As Melissa barrels toward Cuba, expected to strike eastern provinces early Wednesday as a major hurricane, President Miguel Díaz-Canel issued a televised warning: “This is the strongest storm ever to hit national territory—do not underestimate its power.” Over 400,000 people have been evacuated in Holguín and Santiago de Cuba, with families fleeing remote mountain villages in the Sierra Maestra by bus, truck, and even horse-drawn carts. In one shelter, 83-year-old Eduviges Figueroa opened her home to dozens, cooking meals for evacuees. “We’re helping as best we can,” she said.

Cuban authorities forecast up to 20 inches of rain in isolated areas, triggering flash floods and mudslides, alongside a dangerous storm surge along the eastern coast. State television showed rural residents securing livestock and harvesting crops ahead of impact.

Back in Jamaica, emergency teams stand ready with boats, helicopters, and heavy machinery for immediate post-storm rescues. U.N. agencies and nonprofits have pre-positioned food, medicine, and water, awaiting safe access to devastated zones. Airports are targeted for reopening by Thursday, but officials warn displaced wildlife—including crocodiles flushed from swamps—now poses additional threats in flooded Kingston neighborhoods.

A dramatic moment unfolded live on radio when a desperate caller sought help for a woman in labor in western Jamaica. With roads impassable, the host connected with an obstetrician who provided step-by-step delivery instructions in case medical aid couldn’t arrive in time.

As Melissa churns into the central Caribbean, the region braces for a long, grueling recovery from one of the most powerful hurricanes in recorded history.

Also Read: Melissa Becomes Deadliest Hurricane to Directly Hit Jamaica Since 1851