Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm to ever hit Jamaica, and the largest on record this year, left widespread destruction in its wake Tuesday, obliterating buildings, ripping off roofs and flinging debris across the island.
At its peak, the storm brought winds of nearly 300 km/h, causing significant damage to the island’s southwestern and northwestern regions. The extent of the damage is still being evaluated.
People walk on a road after Hurricane Melissa passed through Spurr Tree, Jamaica, on Oct. 29, 2025.
AP Photo / Matias Delacroix
Footage released by the Jamaica Constabulary Office captured scenes of destruction in the city of Black River, located in the southwestern parish of St. Elizabeth, after the Category 5 storm barrelled through the area.
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The video shows cars half-submerged in floodwaters and the remnants of downed infrastructure beside piles of mangled power lines.
🌀The Black River Police Station has become a refuge for residents whose houses have been flooded. We are sticking close to the community as we weather Hurricane Melissa together.#TrackingHurricaneMelissa#AForce4Good pic.twitter.com/JPhAHJMihm
— Jamaica Constabulary Force (@JamaicaConstab) October 28, 2025
The parish, which is known for producing a significant proportion of the island’s crops, was “underwater” following the storm, according to Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council.
Meanwhile, Coleridge Minto, head of the St. Elizabeth police at the Black River police station, said the priority was to keep everyone in the vicinity alive.
“We also have a number of residents living in and around this area with homes that were damaged and have come to seek refuge at the station,” Minto said in a video on the constabulary force’s Instagram.
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“We are prioritizing the safety of every person, including those who came [to shelter], our police officers and certainly at this location, where we have prisoners in custody,” he continued.
Several families in Black River remain trapped in their homes as severe weather halted rescue operations, McKenzie said.
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Hurricane Melissa also damaged four hospitals and left one without power, forcing officials to evacuate 75 patients, he added.
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As of Wednesday, Dana Morris Dixon, Jamaica’s education minister, said more than 77 percent of residents were without power amid reports of strewn trees, landslides and widespread flooding, The Associated Press reported.
She said Prime Minister Andrew Holness would soon fly to the most affected areas, including St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Westmoreland and St. James. Crews are still trying to access those areas to determine the extent of the damage.
Investigative reporter Giovanni R. Dennis posted an aerial video on X showing part of St. Elizabeth in the aftermath of the storm.
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People walk through Santa Cruz, Jamaica, on Oct. 29, 2025, after Hurricane Melissa passed.
AP Photo / Matias Delacroix)
Jamaica’s airports, which closed in the lead-up to the storm, remain shuttered, but plans to re-open them to ensure the distribution of aid and emergency relief are set for Thursday, the government said.
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3:25
Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica with winds near 300 km/h
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Montego Bay, the centre of the country’s tourism industry, was hit by strong winds and heavy rain, leading to widespread flooding across the city, its mayor, Richard Vernon, told the BBC.
“One side of the city is now cut off from the other due to roads being inundated by floodwater,” he said, adding that his most pressing concern was to “check if everybody is alive.”
A vacationer shared footage on TikTok of the moment she emerged from the basement of a luxury resort in Montego Bay.
The video shows a busy hotel lobby, with caution tape strung across its main entrance and multiple sagging ceilings that appear to be holding up under the weight of torrential rain.
7 pm update, went up to the 2nd floor where our shelter was to see the damage. Videos of the 2nd floor where our shelter was along with the lobby. Damage, but the structure is still intact for what we can see from the inside. We are waiting for the go ahead to go back to our rooms once they are inspected. Thank You to the hotel STAFF they really went WAY ABOVE & BEYOND & we are extremely appreciative & will continue to tip very generously! #hurricanemelisa #montegobayjamaica #fyp #fypシ
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Some rooms showed evidence of water damage with ankle-deep flooding and no power.
“Overall, this hotel held up fantastically in a Cat 5,” the person filming says.
“Thank you to the hotel staff, they really went WAY ABOVE and BEYOND and we are extremely appreciative,” she wrote in the caption.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Cuba on Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, prompting the evacuation of 700,000 people to shelters, the AP says.
A hurricane warning was in effect for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguin and Las Tunas provinces as well as the southeastern and central Bahamas.
Cleanup and recovery efforts remain ongoing in Jamaica.
Canadian citizens can contact the for 24/7 consular assistance.
Global Affairs Canada said more than 2,000 Canadians in Jamaica are signed up with its voluntary registration service, with over 11,000 registrants in Caribbean countries such as Haiti, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and Cuba that are facing impacts from the storm.
— With files from The Associated Press
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