Hurricane Melissa Leaves Trail of Devastation Across Caribbean and Indian Ocean Regions
A powerful storm system dubbed Hurricane Melissa has brought unprecedented destruction to various parts of the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean. The Category 5 hurricane first made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday night, unleashing winds of up to 185mph that ravaged western regions, including the town of Black River, where nearly 90% of homes were either destroyed or had their roofs torn off.
The full extent of the devastation is staggering, with approximately three-quarters of Jamaica's population losing access to electricity. At least 19 people have lost their lives in the storm's wake, and the cleanup efforts have been hampered by further thunderstorms that have persisted even after Melissa weakened to a Category 3 storm as it moved northwards.
Haiti has been particularly hard hit, with flash floods and landslides claiming at least 30 lives. Meanwhile, Cuba experienced strong winds and torrential rains, while the storm's trajectory now brings it close to Bermuda and the Bahamas.
In a separate region of the world, Cyclone Montha made landfall in south-east India, bringing widespread flooding and destruction. Authorities evacuated over 38,000 people from low-lying areas ahead of the storm, which is estimated to have caused $603 million in damages. The farming sector has been severely impacted, with at least 120 animals killed.
Further east, Vietnam has been grappling with prolonged torrential rains that have flooded homes, farmland, and UNESCO World Heritage sites in Hue and Hoi An. The highest 24-hour rainfall recorded in the region was over 1,700mm, resulting in a major river reaching its highest level since 1964. At least 10 people have lost their lives, and eight are still missing, with thousands of homes inundated in more than three metres of water.
The environmental ministry in Vietnam reported that over 12,300 acres (5,000 hectares) of crops have been destroyed, while nearly 16,000 cattle have died. Landslides in mountainous regions have blocked roads and passes, leaving drivers stranded, as the region struggles to cope with the aftermath of these devastating storms.
A powerful storm system dubbed Hurricane Melissa has brought unprecedented destruction to various parts of the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean. The Category 5 hurricane first made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday night, unleashing winds of up to 185mph that ravaged western regions, including the town of Black River, where nearly 90% of homes were either destroyed or had their roofs torn off.
The full extent of the devastation is staggering, with approximately three-quarters of Jamaica's population losing access to electricity. At least 19 people have lost their lives in the storm's wake, and the cleanup efforts have been hampered by further thunderstorms that have persisted even after Melissa weakened to a Category 3 storm as it moved northwards.
Haiti has been particularly hard hit, with flash floods and landslides claiming at least 30 lives. Meanwhile, Cuba experienced strong winds and torrential rains, while the storm's trajectory now brings it close to Bermuda and the Bahamas.
In a separate region of the world, Cyclone Montha made landfall in south-east India, bringing widespread flooding and destruction. Authorities evacuated over 38,000 people from low-lying areas ahead of the storm, which is estimated to have caused $603 million in damages. The farming sector has been severely impacted, with at least 120 animals killed.
Further east, Vietnam has been grappling with prolonged torrential rains that have flooded homes, farmland, and UNESCO World Heritage sites in Hue and Hoi An. The highest 24-hour rainfall recorded in the region was over 1,700mm, resulting in a major river reaching its highest level since 1964. At least 10 people have lost their lives, and eight are still missing, with thousands of homes inundated in more than three metres of water.
The environmental ministry in Vietnam reported that over 12,300 acres (5,000 hectares) of crops have been destroyed, while nearly 16,000 cattle have died. Landslides in mountainous regions have blocked roads and passes, leaving drivers stranded, as the region struggles to cope with the aftermath of these devastating storms.
, can't even imagine living in a place that's hit by a storm like this... feels so helpless watching all this devastation from afar 
, and what about the animals? 120 killed already? how are they gonna recover? 
... I mean, it's just so predictable that this would happen. A hurricane hits the Caribbean and India, of course people are gonna get killed and their homes ruined. It's like they knew it was coming. And now we're hearing about all these other places getting hit too - Vietnam, Cuba... it's like a never-ending cycle of destruction 
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. I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that's just how climate change works - one storm hits, and suddenly everyone's like "oh no, we're doomed". Give me a break 
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and it's crazy how they're affecting so many places - like jamaica got hit hard 
and now they gotta deal with 3/4 of the population having no power 
. and hindu kush is in crisis too, cyclone montha was a beast 
killing animals and destroying farms. vietnam's just dealing with flooding everywhere 
️ it's so sad... people are losing homes and lives 
At least 30 lives lost in Haiti already and it's not even over... the thought of families losing everything is just devastating 
... people's lives are literally turned upside down by these storms... like, what can you do when nature just decides to go wild 
but at the same time, I think fossil fuels will always be needed because of how unpredictable climate change is. I mean, how can we rely on solar panels when there's a 50% chance it'll rain during the day? And wind farms are so last century, don't you think? 
But on the other hand, we should totally invest in more sustainable energy sources ASAP! Like, what if we just make some crazy advanced technology that can harness energy from space or something? 
I'm all for saving our planet... but only if it's convenient and not too expensive.
It's just too much to handle. Cuba and Haiti are also getting hammered 
. And what about Vietnam? 
Like, 12,300 acres of crops destroyed?! 
And over 16,000 cattle dead?! 
and saw the most beautiful sunsets over the ocean?! anyway back to melissa... 185mph is CRAZY! i can barely handle a strong gust on my balcony in chicago 
but these storms are on another level. also what's with all the flooding in vietnam? i heard they have amazing food there, like pho and banh mi 
u gotta try it when u visit. and btw, has anyone else seen that documentary about tropical cyclones on netflix? 