Jamaica bore the brunt of the storm’s wrath when it made historic landfall as a Category 5 hurricane one of the strongest ever recorded in the Atlantic. Prime Minister Andrew Holness described the damage as “total devastation,” with 80 to 90 percent of roofs destroyed along with critical infrastructure including hospitals, libraries, police stations, and port facilities. Thousands remain stranded without power, and at least five deaths have been confirmed on the island.
Haiti faced severe flooding as Melissa, now weakened to a Category 1 storm, swept through the region. At least 20 people have died, many due to the La Digue River bursting its banks, which caused widespread destruction in the southern coastal town of Petit-Goâve. Cuban authorities also report extensive damage with hundreds of thousands evacuated amid power outages and flooding.
King Charles, Jamaica’s head of state, expressed his deep concern and sorrow over the disaster. He highlighted how this record-breaking storm underscores the urgent need to restore the balance of nature to protect vulnerable communities from such heartbreaking tragedies in the future.
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