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Investigates Investigates Money Diaries The Journal TV Climate Crisis Cost of Living Road Safety Newsletters Temperature Check Inside the Newsroom The Journal Investigates Daft.ie Property Allianz Home The 42 Sport TG4 Entertainment The Explainer A deep dive into one big news story Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Advertisement More Stories Waves splash in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa approaches.Alamy Stock Photo Extreme Weather Hurricane Melissa loses strength en route to Cuba after wreaking 'disaster' in Jamaica The storm caused widespread destruction in Jamaica as one of the most powerful hurricanes on record there. 7.30am, 29 Oct 2025 Share options HURRICANE MELISSA WEAKENED to a category 3 storm before reaching Cuba on Wednesday, US weather officials said. The storm caused widespread destruction in Jamaica as one of the most powerful hurricanes on record there, lashing the island nation with brutal winds and torrential rain. “Melissa is expected to remain a powerful hurricane when it moves across Cuba and the Bahamas and passes near Bermuda,” the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest advisory. The storm took hours to cross over Jamaica, a passage over land that diminished its winds, dropping down to a Category 3 – from the maximum level 5. It is the most powerful storm seen anywhere in the world so far this year – something experts are putting down to a warming climate. A gas station damaged by the Hurricane Melissa in Montego Bay, Jamaica.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo ‘Disaster area’ Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the island a “disaster area” and authorities warned residents to remain sheltered over continued flooding and landslide risk, as dangerous weather persisted even as the hurricane’s worst moved on. Lisa Sangster, a 30-year-old communications specialist in Kingston, said her home was devastated by the storm. “My sister… explained that parts of our roof was blown off and other parts caved in and the entire house was flooded,” she said. “Outside structures like our outdoor kitchen, dog kennel and farm animal pens were also gone, destroyed.” The scale of Melissa’s damage in Jamaica was not yet clear: a comprehensive assessment could take days and much of the island was still without power, with communications networks badly disrupted. At its peak, the storm packed ferocious sustained winds of 297 km/h per hour. Immediate details regarding casualty figures were not available. Government minister Desmond McKenzie said several hospitals had been damaged, including in Saint Elizabeth, a coastal district he said was “underwater.” Advertisement “The damage to Saint Elizabeth is extensive, based on what we have seen,” he told a briefing. “Saint Elizabeth is the breadbasket of the country, and that has taken a beating. The entire Jamaica has felt the brunt of Melissa.” The hurricane was the worst to ever strike Jamaica, hitting land with maximum wind speeds even more potent than most of recent history’s most brutal storms, including 2005′s Katrina, which ravaged the US city of New Orleans. ‘Severely damaged infrastructure’ Even before Melissa slammed into Jamaica, seven deaths – three in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic – had been blamed on the deteriorating conditions. Jamaica’s climate change minister told CNN that Melissa’s effect was “catastrophic,” citing flooded homes and “severely damaged public infrastructure” and hospitals. Mathue Tapper, 31, said that those in the capital were “lucky” but feared for fellow Jamaicans in the island’s more rural areas. “My heart goes out to the folks living on the Western end of the island,” he said. Climate change impact Broad scientific consensus says human-driven climate change is responsible for intensified storms like Melissa, that are increasingly frequent and bring higher potential for destruction and deadly flooding. Melissa lingered over Jamaica long enough that the rains were particularly dire. “Human-caused climate change is making all of the worst aspects of Hurricane Melissa even worse,” said climate scientist Daniel Gilford. The Jamaican Red Cross, which was distributing drinking water and hygiene kits ahead of infrastructure disruptions, said Melissa’s “slow nature” exacerbated the anxiety. The UN is planning an airlift of some 2,000 relief kits to Jamaica from a relief supply station in Barbados once air travel is possible. Assistance is also planned to other impacted countries including Cuba and Haiti, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told journalists. Jamaican officials said around 25,000 tourists were in the country famed for its normally crystalline waters. The Journal's climate change newsletter Follow the biggest news story of our times. Sign up for our monthly climate newsletter You are now signed up View 4 comments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Hurricane Melissa loses strength en route to Cuba after wreaking 'disaster' in Jamaica”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “Hurricane Melissa loses strength en route to Cuba after wreaking 'disaster' in Jamaica”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. 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Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Climate Change Extreme Weather Hurricane melissa News in 60 seconds The Morning Lead 'Democracy includes the power to dissent': Our readers tell us why they spoiled their votes Stephen McDermott HMV to open third shop in Ireland following mass closures in 2016 18 mins ago Climate Change Over half a million people are dying every year due to rising heat globally Good Morning The 9 at 9: Wednesday At least 81 killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza as Trump says 'nothing' will jeopardise ceasefire IRREGULAR PAYMENTS Report into RTÉ financial matters to be discussed by Cabinet today CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS Trump says he's 'not allowed to run' for another term but will 'see what happens' English tourist dies from injuries after alleged Temple Bar assault Extreme Weather Why is Hurricane Melissa so strong and how will it impact Ireland? 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