Category 5 Hurricane Melissa Strikes Jamaica And Cuba, Devastating Tourism And Infrastructure: What You Need To Know

Published on October 29, 2025

Hurricane Melissa made landfall successful western Jamaica connected Tuesday day arsenic an extremely vulnerable Category 5 hurricane, bringing catastrophic winds of one 100 sixty 5 miles per hour, life-threatening large wind surge, and torrential rainfall crossed nan island. As of 2 PM EDT, nan storm’s oculus was located just twenty miles south-southwest of Montego Bay, pinch a cardinal unit of eight 100 ninety 9 millibars, a people of bonzer strength seldom observed successful Atlantic hurricanes.

The hurricane is moving toward the north-northeast astatine 8 miles per hour, pinch nan halfway expected to transverse occidental Jamaica complete nan adjacent fewer hours earlier emerging into nan Caribbean Sea and continuing toward southeastern Cuba and the Bahamas. The large wind marks 1 of the most powerful hurricanes ever to straight onslaught Jamaica, and officials pass that nan coming hours will beryllium captious for rescue and betterment operations.

Widespread Destruction Across Jamaica

Authorities person urged residents to stay sheltered arsenic the eyewall, nan astir vulnerable portion of nan storm, continues its slow and devastating passage. Hurricane-force winds extend thirty miles from nan center, with tropical-storm-force winds stretching nearly two 100 miles. Jamaica is already experiencing catastrophic upwind harm and flash flooding, pinch galore reports of structural failures successful areas exposed to nan afloat unit of nan storm.

Meteorologists person warned that upwind speeds could be up to 30 percent stronger astatine higher elevations, posing an moreover greater threat to communities successful hilly and mountainous regions. The National Hurricane Center cautioned residents not to task extracurricular during nan eye’s calm period, arsenic winds will quickly intensify connected nan storm’s backside.

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness emphasized that Hurricane Melissa poses a superior threat to nan lives and livelihoods of Jamaicans, noting that betterment will require corporate effort to protect families, rebuild homes, and reconstruct livelihoods erstwhile nan large wind passes.

Life-Threatening Rainfall and Flooding

Melissa is expected to dump between fifteen and 30 inches of rain across Jamaica, pinch immoderate areas perchance receiving up to forty inches. The consequence of catastrophic flash flooding and wide landslides is highly high, peculiarly successful confederate and occidental parishes wherever terrain exacerbates runoff and erosion.

As nan large wind approaches eastern Cuba tonight, rainfall totals of ten to 20 inches are forecast. In the Southeast Bahamas, five to 10 inches of rain are expected, pinch tropical large wind conditions opening later coming and hurricane conditions arriving connected Wednesday.

Watches and Warnings Across nan Region

Hurricane Warnings remain successful effect for:

• Jamaica
• Southeastern and cardinal Cuba
• Southeastern and cardinal Bahamas

Tropical Storm Warnings extend to:

• Haiti
• Cuban state of Camagüey
• Turks and Caicos Islands

Melissa is forecast to stay a powerful and vulnerable hurricane as it approaches Cuba early Wednesday earlier moving crossed nan southeastern Bahamas later successful nan day. Residents in Bermuda are besides being advised to show nan storm’s advancement closely, pinch watches imaginable later tonight.

Tourism Impact: Devastating Blow to Caribbean Travel

The presence of Hurricane Melissa represents a devastating rustle to Jamaica’s tourism sector, which contributes approximately thirty percent of nan country’s GDP and employs hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans. The large wind has forced nan closure of Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport, Jamaica’s superior gateway for world visitors, arsenic good as Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.

Resort hotels on nan northbound coast, including celebrated destinations specified as Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, and Negril, person initiated emergency protocols, evacuating guests to shelters and suspending each operations. Cruise lines person rerouted ships distant from Jamaican ports, canceling stops in Falmouth and Ocho Rios for nan coming week.

The demolition caused by Hurricane Melissa is expected to require months of betterment and reconstruction, affecting not only beingness infrastructure but besides Jamaica’s estimation arsenic a safe and reliable recreation destination during nan highest wintertime tourism season.

For Cuba, nan large wind threatens the southeastern coast, including celebrated formation destinations specified as Baracoa and areas near Santiago de Cuba. The Bahamas, still recovering from erstwhile hurricane impacts, faces renewed challenges arsenic Melissa approaches pinch hurricane-force winds and torrential rain.

Regional Emergency Response

Emergency crews and nationalist agencies crossed nan Caribbean are connected precocious alert, coordinating rescue operations, aesculapian assistance, and disaster relief. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) has activated location support mechanisms, while world assistance organizations are preparing to deploy resources to affected areas.

Tourism authorities successful Jamaica, Cuba, and nan Bahamas are moving intimately pinch hotels, airlines, and cruise operators to guarantee nan information of visitors and facilitate evacuations wherever necessary. Travelers pinch upcoming bookings to affected areas are advised to interaction airlines and hotels for rebooking options and refunds.

A Region Under Siege

As Hurricane Melissa carves its destructive way crossed nan bluish Caribbean, nan region faces 1 of nan astir important earthy disasters successful caller history. The storm’s unprecedented strength and slow activity person maximized damage, leaving communities susceptible to prolonged winds, flooding, and large wind surge.

For charismatic large wind information, residents and travelers are urged to travel updates from nationalist meteorological services, the National Hurricane Center, and section authorities authorities.