Overview
- Melissa was packing near 100–105 mph winds Thursday morning and is forecast by the National Hurricane Center to accelerate northeast and pass to the northwest of Bermuda before likely turning post‑tropical by Friday.
- Authorities report at least 25 deaths in Haiti—many in Petit-Goâve after a river burst—plus eight reported in Jamaica and one in the Dominican Republic, with totals still being assessed.
- Jamaica suffered severe disruption with roughly 77% of the island initially without power, more than 25,000 people in shelters, and major damage in St Elizabeth and Montego Bay as relief flights resumed into Kingston.
- Cuba evacuated about 735,000 people ahead of landfall, with at least 241 communities in Santiago province cut off and extensive damage reported, while officials had not confirmed fatalities.
- International aid is mobilizing, including a £2.5 million UK package and U.S. rescue and response teams, as regional authorities work to reach isolated areas and restore communications.