Hurricane Melissa Leaves 34 Dead as It Sweeps Across the Caribbean

Hurricane Melissa Leaves 34 Dead as It Sweeps Across the Caribbean
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At least 34 people have been killed after Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba, leaving widespread destruction across the Caribbean, the BBC reported. Once a Category Five storm, Melissa weakened to Category Two as it moved north through the Bahamas on Thursday but remained highly dangerous, carrying sustained winds of 165 km/h.

The hurricane, which reached peak winds of 298 km/h (185 mph), is the strongest storm to strike Jamaica in modern history and is expected to make landfall in Bermuda next. In Jamaica, the southern parish of St Elizabeth was hardest hit, with washed-out bridges, knee-deep mud, and towns like Black River cut off.

Communication networks remain down across much of the island’s southwest. Eight people have been confirmed dead. In Mandeville, entire structures were flattened, while residents described harrowing conditions and unsafe shelters.

Haiti, already suffering from instability and flooding, reported at least 25 deaths — including 10 children — after torrential rains triggered landslides and destroyed homes. In Cuba, officials said Santiago de Cuba sustained “considerable damage,” though casualty figures were not yet confirmed.

In the Bahamas, nearly 1,500 people were evacuated in one of the country’s largest emergency operations. While flooding disrupted several islands, major tourist areas such as Nassau, Freeport, and the Abacos remained largely unaffected. Authorities across the region have urged continued caution as dangerous weather and flood conditions persist in several Caribbean nations.