Hurricane Melissa weakens to Category 2 storm, batters Cuba

Skip next section Cuba reports ‘extensive damage’ as Hurricane Melissa hits

10/29/2025October 29, 2025

Cuba reports ‘extensive damage’ as Hurricane Melissa hits

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Wednesday that Hurricane Melissa had caused “extensive damage” after making landfall overnight on the island’s southern coast.

Diaz-Canel said in a post on social media that it had been “a very difficult early morning” and warned that the storm was still over Cuban territory. He urged citizens to remain cautious, maintain discipline, and stay safely sheltered.

The storm, which has been downgraded to Category 2, was expected to generate a

Storm surges of up to 3.6 meters (12 feet) were expected in eastern Cuba even as the storm was downgraded to Category 2.

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Skip next section Hurricane Melissa batters Cuba

10/29/2025October 29, 2025

Hurricane Melissa batters Cuba

has swept across as a Category 3 storm, triggering severe flooding and forcing the evacuation of more than 735,000 people after tearing through Jamaica, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Videos on social media showed residents wading through knee-deep water as streets turned into rivers across southeastern Cuba. The NHC said the “extremely dangerous” hurricane made landfall early Wednesday in Santiago de Cuba province and warned of catastrophic flash floods and landslides.

Melissa, with sustained winds of 165 kph (105 mph), has been moving north-northeast at 22 kph. Hurricane warnings remained in effect for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas, as well as parts of the Bahamas.

Officials in Cuba have warned that Hurricane Melissa could worsen the country’s , which has already caused along with fuel and food shortages.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said in a televised address that authorities expected significant destruction, adding that there would be “a lot of work to do” in the aftermath. He said no resources were being spared to protect lives and that “no one is left behind.”

Diaz-Canel urged citizens not to underestimate the storm, describing Melissa as “the strongest ever to hit national territory.”

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Skip next section Trump says US prepared offer help to Jamaica

10/29/2025October 29, 2025

Trump says US prepared offer help to Jamaica

said the US will help Jamaica with Hurricane Melissa, after the Caribbean Island nation was battered by one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history.

“We’re watching it closely, and we’re prepared to move,” Trump said. “I’ve never seen that before. I guess it can get that high, but I’ve never seen it,” he said.

reported extensive damage in parts of Clarendon in southern Jamaica and in the southwestern parish of St. Elizabeth, which was described as “under water.” The storm also damaged four hospitals, leaving one without power.

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Skip next section Hurricane Melissa weakens to a Category 3 storm

10/29/2025October 29, 2025

Hurricane Melissa weakens to a Category 3 storm

Hurricane Melissa weakened and has reached Cuba as a major storm early Wednesday .

According to Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel more than 700,000 people have been evacuated.

Forecasters warned that the now Category 3 storm could cause in Santiago de Cuba and surrounding areas.

Hurricane warnings were issued for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas, as well as parts of the southeastern and central Bahamas.

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Skip next section As it approaches Cuba, Melissa is strengthening again

10/29/2025October 29, 2025

As it approaches Cuba, Melissa is strengthening again

The US National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Melissa restrengthened to a Category 4 storm as it picked up speed over the Caribbean Sea and approached eastern .

It took the storm hours to cross Jamaica. This land passage diminished its winds, dropping it to a Category 3 — down from the maximum Category 5 — before it ramped back up to a Category 4.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the island a “disaster area,” and authorities warned residents to shelter in place due to the continued risk of flooding and landslides as dangerous weather persisted, even after the worst of the hurricane had passed.

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Skip next section WATCH: Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica

10/28/2025October 28, 2025

WATCH: Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica and has been downgraded to a Category 4 hurricane.

With wind speed reaching 295 kilometers per hour, it is the strongest-ever storm to directly hit the Caribbean nation of 2.8 million people.

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Skip next section Cubans flee ahead of Hurricane Melissa’s arrival10/28/2025October 28, 2025

Cubans flee ahead of Hurricane Melissa’s arrival

US weather officials said the center of Hurricane Melissa moved off Jamaica on Tuesday afternoon and headed for .

“Life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds are likely to begin later today” in eastern Cuba, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory.

Melissa is forecast to make landfall on the Communist-run island in the early hours of Wednesday.

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Skip next section Melissa is now a Category 4 hurricane

10/28/2025October 28, 2025

Melissa is now a Category 4 hurricane

Melissa is losing some strength, but it remains an “extremely dangerous” hurricane as it’s moving across northwestern Jamaica, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

As of 16:00. ET (20:00 UTC), Melissa is a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 150 mph (240 km/h).

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Skip next section Officials warn of displaced crocodiles after Hurricane Melissa

10/28/2025October 28, 2025

Officials warn of displaced crocodiles after Hurricane Melissa

Jamaican health officials warned residents to stay alert for crocodiles that may have been displaced by Hurricane Melissa.

“Rising water levels in rivers, gullies, and swamps could cause crocodiles to move into residential areas,” posted the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) on Instagram.

“Residents living near these areas are therefore advised to remain vigilant and avoid flood-waters,” it added.

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Skip next section Melissa is one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history

10/28/2025October 28, 2025

Melissa is one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history

Here are some of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record:

Hurricane Allen (1980)

The strongest Atlantic storm ever recorded by wind speed, Hurricane Allen claimed over 200 lives in Haiti before moving toward Texas in 1980. Its sustained winds peaked at 190 mph (305 km/h) but weakened before landfall.

Hurricane Melissa (2025)

Crashing into Jamaica with 185 mph (295 km/h) winds, tied the record for the strongest speeds by an Atlantic storm while making landfall.

Hurricane Dorian (2019)

as the strongest hurricane ever to strike the country, packing sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h).

Hurricane Wilma (2005)

Wilma rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm and reached estimated sustained winds around 185 mph (295 km/h). It slammed into Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula before striking South Florida.

Hurricane Gilbert (1988)

Gilbert reached sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h) and set the then-record lowest pressure in the Atlantic, leaving a trail of destruction across Jamaica and Mexico.

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Skip next section Around 6,000 people in shelter — Jamaican authorities

10/28/2025October 28, 2025

Around 6,000 people in shelter — Jamaican authorities

Roughly 6,000 people in Jamaica were sheltering in 382 emergency centers as Hurricane Melissa slammed into the island Tuesday, according to authorities.

Despite repeated evacuation warnings, Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council, expressed concern that few residents in high-risk areas such as Saint Elizabeth Parish in the south were using the shelters.

Officials estimate that more than 50,000 people may need to temporarily leave their homes due to the storm’s destruction.

The Jamaican government has launched a website called Support Jamaica to provide residents with up-to-date information.

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Skip next section FIRST PICTURES: Hurricane Melissa’s landfall

10/28/2025October 28, 2025

FIRST PICTURES: Hurricane Melissa’s landfall

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Skip next section Hurricane Melissa’s path: Where is it headed after Jamaica?

10/28/2025October 28, 2025

Hurricane Melissa’s path: Where is it headed after Jamaica?

After making landfall in Jamaica, Melissa is expected to remain a strong hurricane as it crosses eastern Cuba and strikes the and Turks and Caicos by Wednesday.

In , authorities said that around 500,000 people had been evacuated from areas vulnerable to winds and flooding.

Meanwhile, Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis has issued evacuations for people in the eastern and southern parts of the archipelago.

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Skip next section Families shelter in place as Hurricane Melissa batters Jamaica

10/28/2025October 28, 2025

Families shelter in place as Hurricane Melissa batters Jamaica

Despite the government ordering evacuations in flood-prone areas, Colin Bogle, a Mercy Corps adviser based near the capital, Kingston, said most families were sheltering in place.

“Many have never experienced anything like this before, and the uncertainty is frightening,” he said. “There is profound fear of losing homes and livelihoods, of injury, and of displacement.”

Experts have predicted that the damage from Melissa could rival that of .

Before landfall, more than 240,000 people were already without power, and about one-fourth of the telecommunications system was offline, according to Transport and Energy Minister Darryl Vaz.

Vaz said crews would clean and test the island’s two major international airports, which sit close to sea level, on Wednesday to allow emergency relief flights to arrive as soon as Thursday.

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Skip next section Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica

10/28/2025October 28, 2025