Hurricane Melissa kills 25 in Haiti, nearly 30 total as hurricane batters Caribbean

Melissa struck Jamaica on Tuesday as the strongest-ever hurricane to directly hit its shores, with sustained winds of 298km/h

People walk through Santa Cruz, Jamaica on Wednesday after Hurricane Melissa passed. Picture: Photo/Matias Delacroix.

Thu, 30 Oct, 2025 - 06:56

Reuters

Hurricane Melissa barreled through the northern Caribbean on Wednesday after thrashing Cuba's second-biggest city, isolating hundreds of rural communities, unleashing devastation in Jamaica and drenching Haiti, where at least 25 were killed.

Melissa struck Jamaica on Tuesday as the strongest-ever hurricane to directly hit its shores, with sustained winds of 298km/h, well above the minimum strength for a Category 5, the strongest classification for hurricanes.