Jamaica is trying to keep people and property safe from damage while the strongest hurricane to hit the Caribbean island in a generation leaves devastation in its wake.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Oct. 28 as a Category 5 storm with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. The hurricane landed on the southwestern section of the island, about 40 miles from Montego Bay, a major tourist destination. The slow-moving hurricane brought with it torrential rain, and tropical storm and hurricane force winds that were felt across the island. At least three people were reported dead while preparing for the storm with another 13 injured, according to the Jamaica Gleaner. Three others in Haiti and in the Dominican Republic were also reported dead, the Associated Press reported. Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared the country a disaster area. The declaration was made under the Disaster Risk Management Act, a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister said.
In an interview with the AmNews, Floyd Green, minister of agriculture and member of parliament for St. Elizabeth South Western, said there is significant damage to homes and businesses across St. Elizabeth Parish, especially its capital Black River. “There’s extensive flooding across communities, with electricity and phone services presently down,” said Green.
Prior to the start of the hurricane, approximately 388 people in the Black River area were at shelters. Green shared that the Emergency Operational Center is functional, but community interventions cannot be done until it is safe to go out.
The Black River Hospital was severely damaged by the hurricane. “The hospital has evacuated 50% of their patients, and moved others to higher floors,” said Green.
A major concern for the island is the devastation of St. Elizabeth, officially known as the “bread basket” of the island. Green said “it is going to be a significant blow to the sector. The sector had just bounced back from Hurricane Beryl and this will take a major toll on farmers especially heading into the Yuletide season.” Green and the government are committed to starting the recovery process immediately.
The westward drift of the hurricane before making landfall allowed Kingston, the country’s capital, to be spared the worst of the ravages of the hurricane. “The wind has been crazy,” said Terri-Claude Anglin, a resident of St. Catherine Parish. “The rain hasn’t been too heavy, but it has been constant.”
Anglin told the AmNews his house lost electricity and running water. His entire yard is flooded, with some leaking of his roof.
Known as an international tourism destination, about four million tourists come to Jamaica each year, mainly staying at resorts and hotels across the island. In a statement, tourism minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett said there are 25,000 tourists currently on the island. It is unclear if there are any injuries among them so far.
Local residents who work in the tourism industry are used to working during major storms. “It’s a personal sacrifice being away from my family,” shared Mitzie Smart, manager at a major hotel in Lucea, a coastal town located between Negril and Montego Bay. Smart was at work during her 19th wedding anniversary when Hurricane Beryl skirted the island in 2024, and is also on shift for Hurricane Melissa.
“With guests in-house, they take priority because we are really hosting them away from their real homes,” Smart explained. She also shared that guests are scared, uncertain, and worried about being stranded. “As a manager, I also sacrifice so that team members can stay home with their younger children and secure their properties.”
Even though Hurricane Melissa has left the island, residents in Kingston are reporting heavier downpours and wind at night. “Melissa just a lift up her tail,” said Kimbrilee Henry, a Kingston resident.
As Jamaica tries to recover, The Bahamas and Bermuda are also preparing for impacts from Melissa as she has already made landfall in Cuba, dumping significant
rain and triggering destruction of the infrastructure in some areas.
In The Bahamas, meanwhile, hundreds have abandoned homes and businesses in the southern part of the country — areas like Crooked Island and Acklins — that officials say would be seriously impacted along with Ragged Island, Long Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador.
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To help with aid to Jamaica and other Caribbean islands impacted by Hurricane Melissa these organizations are taking donations.
The American Red Cross – https://redcross.org/donate/donation.html
World Central Kitchen – https://donate.wck.org/give/499865/#!/donation/checkout
American Friends of Jamaica – https://theafj.app.neoncrm.com/forms/afj-disaster-relief-fund
Bert Wilkinson and the Associated Press contributed to this story.