WATCH: Streets of Jamaica flood with water after Hurricane Melissa wreaks havoc in the Caribbean island
As Melissa hit Jamaica with a sustained speed of 185 mph near New Hope, landslides, uprooting of trees and several power outages were reported across the island.
October 29, 2025 07:41 AM IST
First published on: Oct 29, 2025 at 07:41 AM IST
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Hurricane Melissa Live Updates: Waves splash in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa approaches. (AP Photo)
As Category 5 Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, heavy floodwaters swept across the Caribbean island’s southwestern region, roofs of the buildings were torn off due to heavy winds and boulders tumbled onto roads as Jamaicans witnessed the strongest storm ever to hit the Caribbean island nation.
As Melissa hit Jamaica with a sustained speed of 185 mph near New Hope, landslides, uprooting of trees and several power outages were reported across the island, as officials warned that restoration, clean up and the damage assessment could be on a slower side, AP reported.
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Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, on Hurricane Melissa’s impact said, “There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5. The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge.” An official informed that in the southwestern Jamaica, the parish of St. Elizabeth was completely “underwater” and over half a million people were without electricity.
Streets of Kingston, Jamaica, UNDERWATER after Hurricane Melissa makes landfall on the Caribbean island as a category 5 storm pic.twitter.com/QBo3hyhVbT
Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council informed that flood waters trapped at least three families in their homes in the community of Black River in western Jamaica, and due to the dangerous conditions created throughout the island via Hurricane Melissa’s battering, emergency personnel were unable to help them.
“Roofs were flying off. We are hoping and praying that the situation will ease so that some attempt can be made to get to those persons,” McKenzie said. Videos on social media showed streets of Kingston in Jamaica submerged in water after Category 5 Hurricane Melissa made landfall on Tuesday.
Officials said that close to 15,000 people are residing in shelters and about 77% of customers across Jamaica are left without power. Officials have warned not to venture outside during the storm’s impact.
After Jamaica, Melissa’s eye is now turning towards Cuba for the powerful hurricane’s fury with a sustained wind speed of 125 mph and weakening to Category 3 storm, CNN reported.
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Hurricane Melissa Live Updates: Waves splash in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa approaches. (AP Photo)
