Hurricane Melissa Leaves Caribbean in Ruins, Bermuda Braces for Impact

 

People walk along a street after floods caused by the outer bands of Hurricane Melissa killed several people, in Petit Goave, Haiti.

Hurricane Melissa, once a Category 5 storm, has battered the northern Caribbean, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. The storm tore through Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, flattening homes, flooding communities, and cutting power to millions. At least 34 people have died across the region, with Haiti suffering the heaviest toll.

In Jamaica, entire neighborhoods were submerged, with residents stranded on rooftops. Cuba’s eastern provinces endured a punishing night as Melissa made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane, toppling infrastructure and forcing mass evacuations.

The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos were next in Melissa’s path, where residents faced damaging winds, torrential rains, and storm surges. Emergency shelters quickly filled as catastrophic flooding loomed.

Now, the storm is accelerating northeast across open waters, and Bermuda is expected to feel hurricane-force winds and heavy rainfall by late Thursday. A hurricane warning is in effect for the island, where officials are urging residents to complete preparations before conditions deteriorate.

Though Melissa has weakened to a Category 2 storm, it remains highly dangerous. The storm’s rapid forward speed could intensify storm surge impacts along Bermuda’s coastline, while flash flooding and landslides remain a threat in the Caribbean’s hardest-hit areas.

As rescue and recovery efforts begin across the devastated islands, aid agencies are mobilizing to deliver food, water, and medical supplies. For many communities, however, the road to recovery will be long, with infrastructure, housing, and livelihoods shattered by one of the most powerful hurricanes in recent memory.