Jamaica Reels from Strongest Hurricane in its History
BBC News
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At least 20 people have died in Haiti in flooding caused by Hurricane Melissa
The hurricane made landfall on Tuesday as a category five storm in Jamaica, where people remain stuck on roofs and without power
Local government minister Desmond McKenzie warns people on the island that recovery "is not going to be an easy road"
Our correspondent in Kingston, Nick Davis, reports floods, mudslides, and "palm trees tossed like toothpicks"
From Jamaica, the storm travelled north to Cuba, bringing with it 115mph winds and heavy rain, and warnings of "life-threatening" storm surges
"The night was terrifying," one man in Cuba tells us. "It sounded like a tornado. I was awake all night"
The hurricane is now moving north-east towards The Bahamas and Bermuda
Are you in the path of the hurricane? Get in touch via email, external or WhatsApp +44 7756 165803, external
Edited by Johanna Chisholm and Sean Seddon, with reporting from Nick Davis in Jamaica
A new update from the US National Hurricane Center spells out that "damaging winds, flooding rains and a dangerous storm surge" are anticipated in The Bahamas tonight and in Cuba this afternoon.
A hurricane warning remains in place for areas including Bermuda, while a tropical storm warning is in place for the Turks and Caicos Islands among others.
Melissa is currently travelling at a speed of 15mph (24km/h) – an increase on earlier. It is still expected to accelerate in the coming days.
Darren Bett
BBC weather presenter
Hurricane Melissa is now offshore of east Cuba. With sustained winds of 100mph (160km/h), it means Melissa is a category two hurricane.
The storm is now moving at about 15mph (24km/h) and may continue to accelerate.
After leaving The Bahamas on Wednesday night, Melissa will then head towards Bermuda. Hurricane strength winds and heavy rain will begin in Bermuda late on Thursday and continue overnight.
After that, Melissa is not expected to make landfall in North America, but will still be a formidable extratropical cyclone when it nears St Johns, Newfoundland, on Friday night.
Jamaica's prime minister has just given an update on X, external and says there are no confirmed reports of deaths on the island so far.
Andrew Holness also says the government will support the affected communities.
"We know many of you are hurting, uncertain, and anxious after Hurricane Melissa, but please know that you are not alone."
He goes on to say that "recovery will take time, but the Government is fully mobilized."
"Relief supplies are being prepared, and we are doing everything possible to restore normalcy quickly."
The hurricane has now passed Cuba after landing in the east this morning.
Details are still emerging about the extent of the damage there but we are starting to get photos from Santiago de Cuba which show flood water filling the streets.
Gabriela Pomeroy
Live reporter
Cuban journalist Luis de Jesus has been on the ground in Santiago de Cuba where the hurricane made landfall overnight.
"Being in the middle of a hurricane is powerful and you hear all sorts of sounds," he tells me from eastern Cuba. "I tried to sleep but it was hard."
The force of the winds broke the windows in his hotel and some of the doors.
"I went out this morning to assess the damage," he says, "and found trees have fallen down, electricity cables are down, and some damaged buildings."
But people are relieved that no deaths have been reported and now the focus is on cleaning up the debris in the town.
As the relief effort continues, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the White House is in close contact with the governments of Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic and the Bahamas as they assess the damage and impacts of Hurricane Melissa.
"We have rescue and response teams heading to affected areas along with critical lifesaving supplies," Rubio says on social media.
"Our prayers are with the people of the Caribbean."
Brandon Drenon
Reporting from Miami, Florida
Andre Palmer has been sheltering in place at his home in south-eastern Kingston since Saturday, prepared for the worst.
Although the brunt of the damage from the storm has missed him, he still considers it “the most intense hurricane I’ve ever experienced”.
“For about 16 hours, there was just this intense wind and lots of rain that just kept beating on the house and windows and doors. Debris was flying in the wind. It was actually quite intense,” he says.
Palmer says he’s been without electricity and running water since Tuesday morning, and was only able to speak to me because he charged his phone in his car earlier.
He’s unsure of when internet, electricity and water will be restored. “Right now, it’s really a wait and see game,” he says.
He’s also waiting to find out the condition of his family in west Jamaica, in an area officials have described as “devastated”.
“I haven’t heard from them this since around (17:00 EST) yesterday”, Palmer says, adding that, when trying to reach them on Wednesday, “calls are going directly to voicemail”.
We're starting to see the first images of destruction in Jamaica
Storm movement
Impact
What next?
More images are emerging of the damage wrought by Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica. This drone shot of Alligator Pond on the south west of the island shows the structural impact of the category five storm.
Fishing is a crucial part of the Jamaican economy but it has been severely hit by the extreme conditions.
As we've been reporting, Hurricane Melissa hit Cuba with wind speeds of 115mph (185km/h) and heavy rain that also brought "life-threatening" storm surges.
Santiago de Cuba, in the south east of the island, is among the worst hit areas – as you can see from the pictures below.
A fallen tree on Tuesday before Hurricane Melissa made landfall on Jamaica
It's too early to know the full impact of Hurricane Melissa, but initial details of the damage – as we heard in a briefing a short while ago – are beginning to come to light, particularly through the help of voices on the ground.
Our reporters and correspondents are continuing to reach out to people impacted by Hurricane Melissa, but if you would like to get in touch, and it is safe to do so, you can reach us here.Gabriela Pomeroy
Live reporter
Families have been sheltering in schools and churches in Haiti
As we've just mentioned, Haiti is expected to see "catastrophic" flash flooding and landslides in some parts today, which has forced several thousand people into shelters across the country.
"Many homes have been washed away on the coast," says Pascal Bimenyimana from the Christian NGO, World Relief, in Port au Prince.
"You can see many roofs have been taken off. People are clearing the debris with their bare hands."
Bimenyimana says 3,000 people are in shelters in the south of the country. A lot of the shelters are churches, which are supported by his teams in the field.
But much of the relief work is being supported by friends and neighbours, he says.
"Torrential winds, violent rain and flooding," have destroyed crops across the country's south, he adds.
At least 20 people – including 10 children – have died in river floods in Haiti, local authorities have told AFP news agency.
A further 10 people are missing, the country's civil defence agency says.
A reminder, Haiti is expected to see "catastrophic" flash flooding and landslides in some places today. The Caribbean country is significantly less developed than its neighbours, and is likely to see "extensive damage and isolation of communities".
“It is not going to be an easy road, Jamaica,” says local government minister Desmond McKenzie.
He tells the press conference they have seen the extent of the damage and will do everything to ensure a speedy response that adheres to protocols and is within the law.
He says he is sure people will have woken up this morning “wondering what their future will be like”.
“The government is here, we are committed”, he says, adding the people of Jamaica can expect a comprehensive report on the status of the country in the coming hours.
With that, the briefing comes to a close.
A baby was safely delivered by midwives while Jamaica was being hit by the hurricane, McKenzie said at the briefing a short while ago.
"There is a Melissa baby," he says, thanking medical staff for their actions under extreme circumstances.
He says another two deliveries occurred during the hurricane, which McKenzie says is a demonstration of how Jamaica can "rise to the occasion" in difficult times.
While providing his update, local government minister Desmond McKenzie touched on the situation in St James parish, which includes Montego Bay.
He says the river overflowed with 16ft (4.9m) of water.
Public infrastructure was severely impacted, he says, adding that the hospital was damaged, government offices flooded, and a park for the homeless had to be evacuated.
Officials report receiving distress calls from people stuck on roofs in Montego Bay, he says.
First responders are focusing on evacuating people who need it, McKenzie adds – but much of the area remains cut off.
Health facilities in the area have been devastated, he says.
Desmond McKenzie, a local government minister, says there have been no official reports of fatalities so far.
He says the government "cannot presume" there have been deaths and there will be no official statement until the situation becomes clearer.
The press conference has ended, but stick with us as we bring you some more key lines.
Dr Dana Morris Dixon now turns to the impact of the hurricane on schools.
She says they are still getting assessments through from schools on how they have been affected, adding they know there is “significant damage” in western Jamaica.
She says their goal is to open certain government ministries as soon as they can so they can deliver essential services.
It is important to get places like Kingston, where there was “minimal damage”, back up and running, she adds.
Jamaica's information minister Dr Dana Morris Dixon is continuing with her update and confirms that 77% of the country remains without electricity.
The least affected areas are:
The hurricane has left significant damage, she says, adding that it is slow to get information out of Montego Bay, which suffered a direct hit.
Officials are working to get airports operational again. They are hoping to get Norman Manley International Airport, near Kingston, up by tomorrow.
There is no information on the airport in Montego Bay, she adds.
There are downed power lines across the country, Jamaican authorities say
Dr Dana Morris Dixon is now speaking again.
The minister says the government has been issued an "all clear" to utility companies, meaning they are now able to go out and begin repairing water, energy and telecommunications infrastructure.
Supermarkets and pharmacies have been asked to open as soon as possible so people can access services.
But people are urged to continue to exercising caution on the roads, with scattered debris, downed power lines and flooding widespread.
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