Jamaica is facing one of its most catastrophic experiences with Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that made landfall in the country as it intensified into one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history. The slow-moving giant carried sustained wind speeds of 185mph (298km/h), making it the strongest hurricane to hit Jamaica directly in recorded history.
Melissa brought with it ferocious winds, heavy flood waters, and landslides that have battered the country's infrastructure, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. St Elizabeth, a key breadbasket for Jamaica, was particularly affected, with roads turned into raging rivers, downed power lines, and roofs ripped off buildings by the sheer force of the winds.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel has warned Cubans that the storm could be one of the most severe or possibly the strongest ever to hit the island, urging citizens not to return home from shelters. Meanwhile, Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the country a disaster area, as widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage ravaged the nation.
The US National Hurricane Center has warned that Melissa will be a "catastrophic situation" for Jamaica, with total structural failure possible near the storm's center. A life-threatening storm surge of up to 13ft (4 meters) was expected across southern Jamaica, raising concerns about its impact on hospitals along the coastline.
The world is watching as climate scientists point to the rapid intensification of Hurricane Melissa as a symptom of the human-driven climate crisis, with warmer oceans fueling its strength. As the storm lingers over Jamaica, the international community has rallied, with the UN's International Organization for Migration sending aid and supplies from its logistics hub in Barbados.
For residents like Emma Simms, who had made a makeshift shelter within her house to prepare for the worst, Hurricane Melissa is already proving to be one of the most devastating experiences of her life. With millions more Jamaicans facing similar struggles, the country's infrastructure is severely compromised, and recovery will be a significant challenge.
Melissa brought with it ferocious winds, heavy flood waters, and landslides that have battered the country's infrastructure, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. St Elizabeth, a key breadbasket for Jamaica, was particularly affected, with roads turned into raging rivers, downed power lines, and roofs ripped off buildings by the sheer force of the winds.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel has warned Cubans that the storm could be one of the most severe or possibly the strongest ever to hit the island, urging citizens not to return home from shelters. Meanwhile, Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the country a disaster area, as widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage ravaged the nation.
The US National Hurricane Center has warned that Melissa will be a "catastrophic situation" for Jamaica, with total structural failure possible near the storm's center. A life-threatening storm surge of up to 13ft (4 meters) was expected across southern Jamaica, raising concerns about its impact on hospitals along the coastline.
The world is watching as climate scientists point to the rapid intensification of Hurricane Melissa as a symptom of the human-driven climate crisis, with warmer oceans fueling its strength. As the storm lingers over Jamaica, the international community has rallied, with the UN's International Organization for Migration sending aid and supplies from its logistics hub in Barbados.
For residents like Emma Simms, who had made a makeshift shelter within her house to prepare for the worst, Hurricane Melissa is already proving to be one of the most devastating experiences of her life. With millions more Jamaicans facing similar struggles, the country's infrastructure is severely compromised, and recovery will be a significant challenge.
This storm is just heartbreaking - can you even imagine having to create your own shelter in case of a hurricane? 
And for people like Emma Simms who are already dealing with the aftermath... I'm thinking about donating to aid efforts, it's crazy that some places still struggle with basic infrastructure. The world is watching, and yeah, climate change is definitely making these kinds of disasters more frequent. It's gonna take a while for Jamaica (and other affected areas) to recover from this - sending all the best vibes to those in need 
. The slow-moving giant is just what Jamaica needed to shake off that complacency and get back to basics. And who needs power lines when you can have a good ol' fashioned blackout to keep things interesting? 
The international community sending aid? Please, it's about time they sent some actual help instead of just money 
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. I mean, 185mph winds? That's just crazy talk! It's no wonder Jamaica is getting hit so hard 
. And it's not just the physical destruction, but also the emotional toll it's taking on people like Emma Simms who are trying to survive this monster of a storm 
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. The way we're treating our planet is having devastating consequences, and storms like Hurricane Melissa are just a reminder of that 
. It's not just about Jamaica or any other country; it's about us all needing to come together to reduce our carbon footprint and find sustainable solutions 
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, but at the same time, I'm also feeling a sense of frustration that we're still dealing with this issue 
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. The slow response from gov't is really gonna hit ppl hard 
we gotta keep supporting each other during times like these 
. i feel for all the ppl in st elizabeth, their breadbasket and everything 
️. and yeah, the gov's been super proactive getting aid and supplies out there 
. The world is watching and it's like, we gotta do something to help these people out 
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. The UN sending aid and supplies from Barbados is like, yay! 
But what about long-term solutions?! We need to work on this stuff sooner rather than later 
. Jamaica needs our love and care right now 
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. How can they recover from this?
. the logistics hub in Barbados is trying to help, which is cool i guess, but its not like they can just magic away all this destruction 
. recovery will be a huge struggle for these ppl... millions of ppl affected, and their homes are gone 
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makes me so sad 
and i hope the gov is working fast enough to get the infrastructure fixed 
this storm is a real wake-up call for us all