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3h ago

Hurricane Melissa Slams Jamaica, Leaves Dozens Dead as It Tracks Toward Bermuda

Relief operations accelerate despite crippled infrastructure that still blocks access to hard‑hit Jamaican towns.

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An aerial view of flooding on Oct. 29 following the passage of Hurricane Melissa in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica.
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Overview

  • Melissa remains a Category 2 system with roughly 105 mph winds near Bermuda, with forecasters expecting weakening on Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
  • Jamaican officials report tens of thousands in shelters, roughly 70%–77% of customers without electricity, and more than 130 roads blocked, complicating assessments and aid delivery.
  • Satellite and aerial imagery reveal near‑total devastation in places like Black River, which Prime Minister Andrew Holness described as effectively destroyed.
  • Regional fatalities have topped 30 as counts are updated, including at least 25 deaths in Haiti, multiple in Jamaica, and one in the Dominican Republic, largely from flooding and storm surge.
  • International aid is ramping up, with Canada pledging CA$7 million, Kingston’s airport reopening to enable relief flights, and U.S. search‑and‑rescue teams and NGOs mobilizing supplies and evacuations.