Hurricane Melissa has resulted in a total of 49 confirmed fatalities, as per official reports released on Thursday. The storm caused extensive damage across the northern Caribbean region and accelerated as it moved past Bermuda in the North Atlantic. In Haiti, although not directly impacted, the country experienced heavy rainfall from the slow-moving storm, leading to at least 30 deaths and 20 individuals reported missing.
The town of Petit-Goave in southern Haiti faced a tragic situation where 23 people, including 10 children, lost their lives due to a river overflowing. The flooding also caused significant destruction to roads, homes, and agricultural lands. Jamaica’s Information Minister disclosed a death toll of 19, with ongoing search and rescue operations in progress. The storm left a trail of destruction, leaving many without electricity, damaging buildings, and scattering debris in fields.
As part of relief efforts, Jamaica’s military has mobilized reserve personnel to assist in rescue and recovery operations. Hurricane Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica as a potent Category 5 hurricane, marking the nation’s strongest storm on record to directly hit its coast and the first major hurricane to do so since 1988. The storm’s wind speeds surpassed the threshold for the most severe hurricane classification, ranking it as the second strongest Atlantic hurricane in recorded history.
AccuWeather forecasters estimated the total damage and economic losses in the western Caribbean to be between $67 and $72 billion. Despite causing extensive damage to homes and crops in eastern Cuba, no fatalities were reported as of Thursday, with around 735,000 people evacuated. By 11 p.m. local time, Melissa was classified as a Category 2 storm, located 264 kilometers west of Bermuda in the North Atlantic, with maximum sustained winds of 161 km/h.
Residents of Bermuda remained composed as the storm veered away from the island. Precautionary measures were taken, including the closure of causeways, schools, and ferries. In the Bahamas, where Melissa passed through on Wednesday night, storm warnings were lifted, but authorities have yet to issue an “all clear.” Evacuated individuals are waiting for clearance to return home, with a decision expected by Saturday.