KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hurricane Melissa continued its destructive march across the western Caribbean Tuesday evening, leaving sections of Jamaica inundated and hundreds of thousands without power as the storm’s eye pulled away from the island and tracked toward southeastern Cuba. Once a Category 5 system at landfall, Melissa remains a dangerous Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds around 125 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Jamaican officials warned that damage across the island’s southwestern parishes is extensive. Homes, hospitals, schools and key infrastructure in St. Elizabeth, Manchester and Westmoreland have been battered by hurricane-force winds and ferocious storm surge. Fallen power lines and snapped utility poles are visible in multiple communities, and crews are unable to begin repairs until conditions ease.
Local government minister Desmond McKenzie said more than 530,000 customers— roughly 77% of the national grid — are without electricity. He added that roughly 15,000 residents sought refuge in emergency shelters as the storm swept across the island. “Our infrastructure has been severely compromised,” McKenzie said, cautioning that cleanup and restoration may take days.
In the southwestern city of Black River, police converted a station into a temporary shelter to house residents displaced by flooding. Nearby, Black River Hospital reported roof damage and a sustained power outage, while facilities in Montego Bay and Falmouth dealt with flooding and storm surge along the coast.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness said government teams had staged recovery resources prior to landfall, enabling some areas to begin restoring power and communications as soon as winds subside. Coastal communities, especially along Jamaica’s south shore, recorded heavy surf, airborne debris and unpredictable wind shifts as the hurricane passed.
While Jamaica avoided direct fatalities from landfalling conditions Tuesday, officials confirmed earlier deaths tied to storm preparations. Additional casualties have been reported in Haiti and the Dominican Republic as Melissa moved through the region.
Heading for Cuba
As of late Tuesday, the hurricane was moving north-northeast at about 8 mph. Forecasters expect the eye to reach southeastern Cuba late tonight or shortly after midnight. Storm surge along Cuba’s southeast shoreline could rise 8 to 12 feet above normal tides, amplifying flooding potential as large breakers pound low-lying communities.
Rainfall totals between 10 and 20 inches, with isolated pockets up to 25 inches in mountainous terrain, are expected to trigger life-threatening flash flooding and landslides well into Wednesday. Wind gusts up to 130 mph near the core could snap trees, damage roofs and disrupt communications across the region.
Satellite imagery shows a tightening and clearing of Melissa’s eye — a sign the inner core may be strengthening once again over extremely warm waters. Even a modest intensification could push the storm briefly back toward Category 4 strength as it approaches Cuba.
Regional Impacts and Travel Disruptions
Carnival Cruise Line rerouted at least five vessels this week to avoid Caribbean ports, diverting itineraries to Mexico, Honduras, Belize and Nassau. Other cruise operators are monitoring the track and may adjust routes as conditions evolve.
Telecommunications company Digicel Group reported fiber breaks and connectivity disruptions concentrated in Jamaica’s west, where infrastructure damage is most severe. Technicians are sheltering in place, poised to deploy once winds drop below safety thresholds.
The Water Threat Intensifies
Forecasters emphasize that Melissa’s most dangerous impact continues to be water. Torrential rainfall and storm surge have drowned roads, flooded hospitals and compromised food-producing regions already struggling with saturated soils. Experts warn that flash flooding will continue long after winds begin to subside.
Looking Ahead
Cuba’s southeastern provinces — including Santiago de Cuba, Granma, and Guantanamo — are bracing for punishing winds, mountainous runoff and coastal surge overnight. Officials across the Bahamas have issued hurricane warnings as the system is expected to remain a major hurricane beyond Cuban landfall.
In Jamaica, recovery will begin as soon as conditions permit, but government officials caution that rebuilding infrastructure battered by near-record winds will take time. “Despite the challenges, the next round is going to be more difficult than preparing for Melissa,” McKenzie acknowledged.
For now, emergency crews are waiting for calm — and residents across the region are hunkered down as the storm’s most dangerous phase shifts north.