The rumble of large machinery, the whine of chainsaws, and the sound of machetes echoed across communities in the northern Caribbean as they began the challenging process of recovery following the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa. The storm has been blamed for at least 45 fatalities, primarily affecting Haiti and Jamaica, with Cuba also suffering significant impacts. In Jamaica, authorities reported 19 deaths, while Haiti saw at least 25 fatalities, and at least one person died in the Dominican Republic.
As of early Friday, Hurricane Melissa was moving over the open waters of the Atlantic after racing past Bermuda, packing maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, according to the Miami-based U.S. National Hurricane Center. A hurricane warning previously issued for Bermuda has since been discontinued. The agency forecasts that Melissa is expected to transition into a strong post-tropical cyclone with gradual weakening anticipated over the weekend.
In Jamaica, government officials and residents mobilized quickly to clear roads and reach dozens of isolated communities in the southeastern region that had been directly impacted by one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record. Stunned residents surveyed the devastation, with many finding their homes roofless and their belongings waterlogged. Sylvester Guthrie, a resident of Lacovia in the southern parish of St. Elizabeth, expressed his despair: "I don't have a house now," he lamented, clutching his bicycle, the only remaining possession of value.
Emergency relief flights began landing at Jamaica's main international airport, with crews distributing essential supplies such as water and medicine. Helicopters were deployed to drop food over communities where the storm had flattened homes, wiped out roads, and destroyed bridges, effectively cutting them off from assistance. "The entire Jamaica is really broken because of what has happened," stated Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon, as officials confirmed that the death toll in Jamaica included a child, with expectations that the number would continue to rise.
In response to the crisis, dozens of U.S. search-and-rescue experts arrived in Jamaica with their dogs to aid in recovery efforts. Over 13,000 people remained crowded into shelters, with 72% of the island without power and only 35% of mobile phone sites operational, according to officials. Many residents clutched cash as they formed long lines at the few gas stations and supermarkets that remained open in the affected areas. "We understand the frustration and anxiety, but we ask for your patience," urged Daryl Vaz, Jamaica's telecommunications and energy minister. Water trucks were mobilized to provide assistance to rural communities not connected to the government’s utility system, as noted by Water Minister Matthew Samuda.
In Cuba, heavy machinery was deployed to clear blocked roads and highways, with the military assisting in rescuing individuals trapped in isolated communities at risk of landslides. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported in Cuba, as the Civil Defense successfully evacuated over 735,000 people across eastern regions ahead of the storm. Residents gradually began returning home by Thursday, with the town of El Cobre in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba being one of the hardest hit. This town, home to approximately 7,000 people, is also known for its Basilica of Our Lady of Charity, the patron saint of Cuba, deeply revered by Catholics and practitioners of Santería.
Odalys Ojeda, a 61-year-old retiree, described the ferocity of the storm: "We went through this very badly. So much wind, so much wind. Zinc roofs were torn off; some houses completely collapsed. It was a disaster," she said, as she surveyed her damaged home. The basilica also suffered significant damage, with Father Rogelio Dean Puerta reporting the destruction of carpentry, stained glass, and masonry. While a televised Civil Defense meeting chaired by President Miguel Díaz-Canel did not provide an official damage estimate, officials from the affected provinces reported extensive losses in roofs, power lines, and fiber optic telecommunications cables.
In a rare statement, the U.S. State Department expressed its readiness to assist the Cuban people, indicating a willingness to provide immediate humanitarian aid directly and through local partners capable of delivering support effectively. However, the statement did not specify how this cooperation would be coordinated with the Cuban government amid ongoing tensions and a history of economic sanctions.
Hurricane Melissa also unleashed catastrophic flooding in Haiti, with at least 20 people reported missing, primarily in the southern region of the country. Approximately 15,000 individuals remained in shelters, as Laurent Saint-Cyr, president of Haiti's transitional presidential council, described the situation as a "sad moment for the country." He noted that officials expect the death toll to rise and are mobilizing resources to search for missing persons and provide emergency relief.
Haiti's Civil Protection Agency confirmed that Hurricane Melissa resulted in at least 20 deaths, including 10 children, in Petit-Goâve, where more than 160 homes were damaged and 80 destroyed. Steven Guadard recounted the tragic loss of his entire family in Petit-Goâve, including four children aged between one month and eight years. Michelet Dégange, a resident of Petit-Goâve for three years, lamented, "There is no place to rest the body; we are hungry. The authorities don't think about us. I haven't closed my eyes since the bad weather began."
