The death toll from Hurricane Melissa has reached 49 as the storm continues to sweep through the Caribbean, with recovery efforts underway in Jamaica and neighboring countries.
Authorities are working tirelessly to clear roads and reach residents stranded in isolated areas.
In Haiti, the civil defense agency reported 30 fatalities, with 20 more people missing and another 20 injured. “It is a sad moment for the country,” said Laurent Saint-Cyr, head of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, highlighting the widespread impact of the hurricane.
Jamaica recorded 19 deaths, up from an initial count of four, as search and rescue operations remain ongoing. Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon confirmed that teams are still working to reach affected communities, particularly in the south-west, where towns are flooded and power lines and mobile networks have been disrupted.
Bermuda faced tropical storm conditions as Hurricane Melissa moved past its western side, producing winds of up to 100 mph. Authorities took precautionary measures, closing schools, ferries, and the causeway, while residents remained largely calm.
Kingston, Jamaica’s capital, avoided the worst of the destruction, and the main international airport has reopened for aid deliveries. Transport Minister Daryl Vaz described the devastation as “enormous,” emphasizing the urgent need for relief in the hardest-hit areas.
The storm first struck Jamaica on Tuesday as the strongest hurricane in the country since records began in 1851, with sustained winds reaching 185 mph. British authorities are providing limited flights for nationals unable to leave commercially, while Cuba evacuated about 735,000 people ahead of Melissa’s arrival. Across the Bahamas, nearly 1,500 people were flown to safety, demonstrating the scale of emergency operations across the region.
