On October 27-28, 2025, Hurricane Melissa, a rare Category 5 storm, slammed into Jamaica with unprecedented force before heading north towards Cuba, prompting urgent warnings of catastrophic flooding and landslides across the Caribbean. Meteorologists and officials described the slow-moving hurricane as unprecedented in severity and warned that Jamaica and Cuba face potentially devastating impacts.
Melissa made landfall on Jamaica’s southwest coast near the parishes of St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland early October 27. With sustained winds reaching 295 km/h (185 mph), it was the strongest hurricane to strike Jamaica in modern history. Heavy rains up to 700 millimeters (27.5 inches) in some areas, combined with powerful storm surges projected up to 13 feet, risked overwhelming infrastructure and isolating communities. Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness called the storm “a beast,” emphasizing, “There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5.”
Government officials declared red alert warnings, closed airports, opened over 800 shelters, and urged mass evacuations. Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon stressed the extraordinary rainfall would bring “catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides,” particularly hazardous in Jamaica’s mountainous terrain already saturated from seasonal rains.
As Melissa moves towards southeastern Cuba, it remains a major hurricane with damaging winds and heavy rainfall forecast. Meteorologist Anne-Claire Fontan from the World Meteorological Organization highlighted the storm’s slow pace, escalating rain accumulation and increasing danger.
The storm also threatens the Bahamas and parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic with severe weather impacts. The UN and relief agencies have activated emergency measures, including the pre-positioning of supplies and mobilization of humanitarian aid to mitigate the unfolding crisis.
Locals described harrowing scenes. A resident near Kingston recounted, “The wind howled like nothing I have ever heard. Floodwaters rose quickly, and power was out for hours.” In addition to physical damage, the storm has disrupted health services. Hospitals moved patients from ground floors fearing surges, with medical staff working round the clock to cope with emergencies.
Summary and Next Steps:
Hurricane Melissa poses severe humanitarian and infrastructural challenges to Jamaica and Cuba, with ongoing risk of life-threatening floods and landslides. Emergency response efforts are underway, focusing on sheltering displaced residents and maintaining critical services. As the storm advances, sustained vigilance, international support, and coordinated disaster management remain critical to minimizing loss and speeding recovery.
