Hurricane Melissa Brings Devastation to Caribbean Islands After Haiti and Jamaica
As Hurricane Melissa tore through the Caribbean, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, at least 26 people have lost their lives in the two hardest-hit countries. The storm first made landfall in Haiti, where it caused widespread flooding and collapse of homes in the southern coastal town of Petit-Goave, killing 25 people.
"It's like nothing I've ever seen before," said Jean Bertrand Subreme, the mayor of Petit-Goave, who described the situation as "overwhelmed" and pleaded for help from the government. The other fatality was reported in Jamaica, where a tree fell on a baby, according to State Minister Abka Fitz-Henley.
The storm's impact on Cuba is also being felt, with the country reporting widespread damage including collapsed houses, blocked roads, and roofs blown off. Over 735,000 people are currently living in shelters in eastern Cuba, with a hurricane warning in effect for several provinces.
In Jamaica, the storm ripped through communities, leaving many without electricity or access to basic necessities. Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared Jamaica a "disaster area" after the storm passed through, and officials are working to assess the damage and start relief efforts.
The full extent of Hurricane Melissa's destruction is still unknown, but its impact on vulnerable communities in the Caribbean cannot be overstated. Climate change experts say that storms like this are becoming more frequent and severe due to rising sea temperatures, which are fueled by human activity.
"The system made landfall earlier today near New Hope district in Westmoreland, Jamaica," a news report stated. The storm's power was so great that it ripped off roofs from homes and destroyed entire communities.
As the storm continues to move through the Caribbean, many are left wondering what the future holds for these already vulnerable communities. "It's truly heartbreaking, devastating," said Robian Williams, a journalist who covered the storm's impact in Jamaica.
As Hurricane Melissa tore through the Caribbean, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, at least 26 people have lost their lives in the two hardest-hit countries. The storm first made landfall in Haiti, where it caused widespread flooding and collapse of homes in the southern coastal town of Petit-Goave, killing 25 people.
"It's like nothing I've ever seen before," said Jean Bertrand Subreme, the mayor of Petit-Goave, who described the situation as "overwhelmed" and pleaded for help from the government. The other fatality was reported in Jamaica, where a tree fell on a baby, according to State Minister Abka Fitz-Henley.
The storm's impact on Cuba is also being felt, with the country reporting widespread damage including collapsed houses, blocked roads, and roofs blown off. Over 735,000 people are currently living in shelters in eastern Cuba, with a hurricane warning in effect for several provinces.
In Jamaica, the storm ripped through communities, leaving many without electricity or access to basic necessities. Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared Jamaica a "disaster area" after the storm passed through, and officials are working to assess the damage and start relief efforts.
The full extent of Hurricane Melissa's destruction is still unknown, but its impact on vulnerable communities in the Caribbean cannot be overstated. Climate change experts say that storms like this are becoming more frequent and severe due to rising sea temperatures, which are fueled by human activity.
"The system made landfall earlier today near New Hope district in Westmoreland, Jamaica," a news report stated. The storm's power was so great that it ripped off roofs from homes and destroyed entire communities.
As the storm continues to move through the Caribbean, many are left wondering what the future holds for these already vulnerable communities. "It's truly heartbreaking, devastating," said Robian Williams, a journalist who covered the storm's impact in Jamaica.
? 26 lives lost in Haiti and like 5 more in Jamaica... that's just crazy 
. And it's not just the number of deaths, I mean have you seen those pics of homes just collapsing? Like, what kind of monster does that? 
. Climate change is no joke and it's getting worse by the day... but you know what they're not saying? How much we gotta pay for all these damages 
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It's like we're just sitting around twiddling our thumbs while the world burns 
. Gotta do better than that, y'all 
. And what's the point of having shelters for over 700k people in Cuba when they'll probably be flooded again soon? 
The media is just highlighting the worst cases, but what about the people who are left with nothing but debris and trauma? 
omg i know ppl r saying it's like climate change is literally destroying the caribbean but let's not forget that hurricane melissa was also super unlucky lol 
its not just about the weather, ppl need to start supporting each other more we can't just sit back & say oh no hurricane 
is bad when we don't do anything to help those affected. i mean like yeah 26 people lost their lives but that's still only 26 ppl in the grand scheme of things we gotta think about the bigger picture not just the immediate aftermath 
How can a tree fall on a baby in Jamaica? 
It's like it was almost meant to be a disaster... 
We need to do something about this ASAP! 
... climate change experts say it's all human activity, but let's be real, governments have been sitting on their hands for so long, doing nothing about it... 
... and now they're saying more frequent and severe storms are coming because of rising sea temps... yep, that's just great news for everyone who lives in these islands 
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