At 1:04 PM EDT on October 28th, Hurricane Melissa made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane near New Hope, Jamaica, slamming the island with 185 mph winds and gusts of up to 200 mph in mountain areas. This is a historic hurricane.
Hurricane Melissa officially formed on October 21st as a tropical storm. It quickly stalled and moved slowly across the Caribbean Sea allowing it to strengthen as well as bring rain to Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. It rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane, becoming the strongest storm this year, not just in the Atlantic, but in the world.
Jamaica has reported 77 percent of the population is without power and extensive damages, including St. John Parish Anglican Church, which is also a national heritage site. Although rainfall reports have not been issued, it is expected that some areas experienced anywhere from 20 to 40 inches of rain in mountainous areas.
The town of Black River, Jamaica has reportedly been completely destroyed due to flooding and “is under water”. This town experienced the worst of the eyewall and brought the most winds and rain. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that the country “will rebuild and we will do so even better than before”.
Jamaica has not been the only country affected by the wrath of Hurricane Melissa. Cuba and Haiti have also experienced extensive damage including multiple deaths in Haiti. The hurricane made landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane and is currently bringing up to 15 inches of rain to the country.
Cuba has reported “extensive damage” and the Prime Minister said, “The situation remains under control. We have prepared for the worst-case scenario, and the measures have been effective.”
With all of this devastation unfolding there have been countries reaching out to help Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti such as the United States and China. Many tourists are trapped in Jamaica due to one of the main airports on the western side being damaged as well as many roads being damaged. The airport in the capital of Jamaica, Kingston, is expected to open on Thursday for relief efforts.
Hurricane Melissa has been downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane and is currently taking aim at the Bahamas. By Friday, it could impact Bermuda as a Category 1 hurricane and then slowly dissipate in the Atlantic Ocean.
Hurricane Melissa now has the record for strongest hurricane to ever impact Jamaica since records began and is now tied for the second strongest hurricane to make landfall in any part of the Atlantic Ocean only behind Hurricane Allen which had 190 mph winds.
Hurricane Melissa will go down in the record books for not just Jamaica and Cuba, but the whole world as one of the most devastating hurricanes.
