The death toll from Hurricane Melissa has risen to almost 50 after the monster storm tore through parts of the Caribbean, leaving widespread destruction across Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
According to officials, the hurricane, now considered one of the most powerful storms in history, slammed into Jamaica on Tuesday with record-breaking winds before lashing Cuba and moving toward Bermuda.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that tropical storm conditions had already reached Bermuda, with sustained winds of up to 155 kilometers per hour.
The storm matched the 1935 record for the most intense landfalling hurricane, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
In Jamaica, Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon confirmed that 19 people had died, including nine in Westmoreland and eight in St. Elizabeth, two of the hardest-hit parishes.
“The destruction is massive, and recovery will take time,” Dixon said.
Haiti reported at least 30 deaths, 20 injuries, and 20 missing persons as flash floods and landslides swept through communities.
The country’s civil defense agency said more than 1,000 homes were flooded, while 16,000 residents were forced into shelters.
In Cuba, residents described scenes of chaos as the hurricane destroyed homes, uprooted trees, and ripped off rooftops.
“Melissa killed us because it left us destroyed,” said Felicia Correa, a resident of La Trampa near El Cobre.
“We were already struggling; now it’s worse.”
Authorities said around 735,000 Cubans were evacuated, mostly in the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, and Guantánamo.
The US government deployed disaster response and search-and-rescue teams to Jamaica, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US was also prepared to assist Cuba with humanitarian aid.
The United Kingdom pledged £2.5 million ($3.3 million) in emergency relief and began limited evacuations for British nationals.
UN Resident Coordinator in Jamaica, Dennis Zulu, described the impact as “tremendous and unprecedented,” citing collapsed roads, damaged infrastructure, and lost connectivity.
The storm’s devastation, scientists say, was made four times more likely due to human-caused climate change, according to a study by Imperial College London.
As recovery begins, floodwaters remain high in several areas, including parts of the Bahamas, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. Officials warned that the final death toll could rise as communication and transport links are restored.
“Hurricane Melissa is a brutal reminder of the urgent need to step up climate action,” said UN Climate Change chief Simon Stiell.
