Hurricane Melissa Devastates Jamaica: Strongest Storm of the Century
- By Thetripurapost Web Desk, Kingston
- Oct 28, 2025
- 558
Hurricane Melissa, the strongest hurricane of the 21st century, has battered Jamaica with winds reaching 185 mph (300 km/h), leaving a trail of destruction across the Caribbean. At least three people have been killed in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic, according to official reports.
Before slamming into Jamaica, Melissa had already wreaked havoc in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, submerging towns, uprooting trees, and collapsing homes. The United Nations described it as “the strongest hurricane of the century.”
Category 5 Fury
Melissa has intensified into a Category 5 hurricane—the most dangerous classification—with sustained winds exceeding 252 km/h (157 mph).
Within just 48 hours, it evolved from a moderate storm into a monster system:
Saturday: 120 km/h
Sunday night: 225 km/h
Monday night: 260 km/h
At this intensity, even reinforced concrete structures face potential collapse, while power and communication networks across several Caribbean nations remain disrupted. Massive storm surges and 5-meter-high waves threaten coastal towns.
Mass Evacuations Across the Caribbean
More than 600,000 people have been evacuated in Cuba and 28,000 in Jamaica.
The Jamaican government has opened 881 relief camps and issued evacuation orders across low-lying regions, including parts of Kingston.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness urged citizens to remain indoors, assuring that “Jamaica will emerge from this crisis stronger.”
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) also issued warnings of “life-threatening floods and landslides” across Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
Slow-Moving and Deadly
MIT climate scientist Kerry Emanuel told AFP that Melissa’s **slow movement—just 5 km/h—**makes it exceptionally dangerous.
“Because it moves so slowly, it keeps pounding the same region with rain and wind for hours or even days,” he said.
The slow pace means torrential rains are expected to continue, greatly increasing the risk of flash floods and landslides across hilly terrain.
Climate Change: The Hidden Force Behind Melissa
According to scientists at Climate Central, the waters beneath Melissa were about 1.4°C warmer than average due to human-induced climate change.
Warmer seas fuel hurricanes by providing more heat and moisture, allowing storms to intensify rapidly and produce 25–50% more rainfall than in the past.
Emanuel emphasized that while 2025 hasn’t seen many Atlantic storms, “the ones that did form strengthened unusually fast.” This trend aligns with global warming patterns observed over recent years.
Next Targets: Cuba and the Bahamas
By Tuesday night, Melissa is expected to begin affecting Cuba, followed by the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands on Wednesday.
Authorities in these regions are on high alert as emergency teams prepare for widespread power outages and potential casualties.
Storm Naming and Records
Melissa is the fifth named hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season. It originated from a tropical wave off West Africa in early October.
If the storm’s devastation proves severe, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) may permanently retire the name “Melissa”, as is customary for catastrophic storms.
So far, four Category 5 hurricanes have been recorded in 2025 alone—an alarming trend highlighting the growing volatility of Earth’s climate systems.
Explained: Hurricane, Typhoon, and Cyclone
While they differ in name, hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons are the same meteorological phenomenon—rotating storm systems formed over warm ocean waters:
Hurricane: Atlantic & Northeast Pacific
Typhoon: Northwest Pacific
Cyclone: South Pacific & Indian Ocean
Tornadoes, in contrast, form over land and are much smaller but extremely violent. The United States records the highest number of tornadoes globally.
Outlook
Meteorologists warn that as ocean temperatures continue to rise, storms like Melissa could become more frequent and more powerful. The Caribbean nations now face the dual challenge of emergency recovery and long-term climate adaptation.