Hurricane Melissa Leaves 49 Dead Across the Caribbean, Causes Billions in Damage

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN DE MODE

Article Published on: 31ST OCT 2025 | www.demodemagazine.com

Hurricane Melissa’s confirmed death toll has risen to 49 after devastating much of the northern Caribbean and accelerating toward Bermuda. Haiti, though not directly struck, endured days of torrential rain, resulting in at least 30 deaths and 20 people missing. In Petit-Goave alone, 23 residents, including 10 children, perished when a river overflowed, destroying roads, homes, and farmland. Jamaica suffered 19 confirmed deaths as powerful winds and flooding left hundreds of thousands without power and widespread destruction in their wake.

The Jamaican military has mobilized reserve forces for rescue and relief operations. Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane — the nation’s strongest on record and the first major storm to strike since 1988. AccuWeather estimates total damages between $48 billion and $52 billion across the western Caribbean. In eastern Cuba, 735,000 people evacuated; no fatalities were reported despite significant damage.