Wednesday 29 / October / 2025
Kingston: Jamaica faces a monumental recovery effort after Hurricane Melissa, the most powerful storm in its modern history, carved a path of destruction across the island nation. The Category 5 hurricane has crippled critical infrastructure, inundated communities, and brought economic activity to a standstill.
Initial assessments indicate approximately 75% of the population is without electricity, with severe flooding and wind damage widespread, particularly in western regions. Communications networks remain severely compromised, obscuring the full scale of the disaster. The government has declared the island a disaster area, citing significant impacts on hospitals, businesses, and residential areas.
With sustained winds reaching 298 km/h (185 mph) at landfall—exceeding the force of Hurricane Katrina—the storm demonstrated devastating power. Meteorologists attributed its alarming rate of intensification to abnormally warm Caribbean waters, a phenomenon linked to climate change.
The economic implications are severe. The storm has directly impacted the vital tourism sector, with the north coast city of Montego Bay—home to the island's primary airport and major resorts—sustaining heavy damage. The disruption threatens to strain the nation's economy for the foreseeable future.
The crisis has also created a logistical challenge for thousands of tourists stranded on the island. Further complicating recovery efforts, health officials have issued warnings for residents to be vigilant of crocodiles displaced into populated areas by floodwaters.
As response operations mobilise, the focus remains on rescue efforts and restoring essential services, with the long-term task of rebuilding only just beginning.
