Hurricane Melissa struck eastern Cuba early Wednesday with sustained winds of 193 kilometres per hour, making landfall near Chivirico in Santiago de Cuba. The Category 3 storm forced the evacuation of more than 700,000 people as it tore across the island, threatening catastrophic damage.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed that over half a million citizens had been relocated to shelters and safer areas. “We know there will be extensive damage,” he said during a televised address. “No one will be left behind, and every resource will be used to protect lives.”
Forecasters warned that Melissa would generate storm surges reaching up to 3.6 metres and rainfall of up to 51 centimetres in eastern provinces. Meteorologists predicted the hurricane would cross Cuba by midday before moving into the Bahamas later Wednesday.
US forecasters cautioned that heavy rainfall could trigger deadly flooding and landslides across the island. A hurricane watch remained active for Bermuda as the storm tracked northward.
Storm Deepens Cuba’s Economic Crisis
The hurricane’s arrival compounds Cuba’s worsening economic emergency, already defined by widespread power outages, fuel shortages, and food scarcity. Díaz-Canel acknowledged that the storm could severely strain national recovery efforts, calling Melissa “the strongest hurricane ever to hit Cuban territory.”
Officials suspended schools from Guantánamo to Camagüey as emergency teams secured homes, power stations, and crops. Government agencies mobilised workers across rural areas to protect livestock and vital infrastructure.
“The next few days will be critical,” said Díaz-Canel. “We must remain united, cautious, and prepared for extensive recovery work.”
Cuban meteorological experts warned that continued rainfall could isolate entire communities in the country’s mountainous east, where landslides frequently occur during major storms.
Jamaica Begins Recovery After Severe Flooding
While Cuba braced for impact, Jamaica began assessing widespread destruction from Melissa’s earlier landfall. Officials reported catastrophic flooding in the southern parish of Clarendon and in St. Elizabeth, where entire communities were submerged.
Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council, confirmed that the storm damaged four hospitals and cut power to one, forcing the evacuation of 75 patients. “Our teams will begin full assessments today,” he said.
More than half a million customers lost power Tuesday night as the storm uprooted trees, destroyed power lines, and flooded major roads. The Jamaican government aims to reopen all airports by Thursday to expedite emergency relief efforts.
Melissa has already been blamed for seven deaths across the Caribbean — three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing. Officials across the region continue to issue warnings as the storm’s trail of destruction expands through the northern Caribbean.
