Jamaica Reels from Strongest Hurricane in its History
BBC News
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Much of Jamaica is without power or phone service after the country's strongest-ever hurricane, our correspondent in Kingston says
Nick Davis reports floods, mudslides, roofs being ripped from buildings, and "palm trees tossed like toothpicks".
After crossing Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa hit Cuba, bringing 115mph winds and heavy rain and warnings of "life-threatening" storm surges
Earlier, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared a "disaster area" and warned of "devastating impacts"
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 Tiffany Wertheimer and Matt Spivey, with reporting from Nick Davis in Jamaica
We're now seeing pictures from the west-central Jamaica parish of Manchester, which show people walking through floodwater on emptied streets.
It has not been long since the sun rose over the Caribbean island, so people are now starting to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa for themselves.
People walk along the side of a flooded road in Prospect, Manchester
Many broken and uprooted trees line the roads in Manchester, Jamaica
In the last few moments, the UK government has announced that it will be providing £2.5m to support Jamaica in its relief efforts.
Supplies and technical experts have also been deployed to help with the disaster response.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper says: “Specialist rapid deployment teams have also been positioned in the region to provide consular assistance round the clock to British nationals affected by the devastation of Hurricane Melissa.”
The government asks British nationals in Jamaica to register here., external
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Nick Davis
Reporting from Kingston, Jamaica
As Jamaica starts a new day, the true extent of Hurricane Melissa is being revealed. With 75% of the country without electricity overnight, the numbers without shelter, injured – or perhaps dead haven't even begun to be counted.
But the stories are coming out – people have shared clips of roads that became rivers, mudslides on the hills, roofs being ripped from buildings and palm trees tossed like tooth picks.
But without power or phone coverage, much of the country is isolated – technologically and physically – with additional rainfall causing flooding and landslides.
The country's prime minister, Andrew Holness, has declared the island a disaster area. Funds from a Caribbean insurance policy created for just this type of national emergency will help to pay for some of the immediate costs and relief is already inbound from around the world.
The airport in Kingston is expected to reopen for aid flights later in the day
The US State Department says that in response to the "catastrophic damage" caused in many Caribbean countries it will deploy a "regional disaster assistance response team".
It has also activated US-based urban search and rescue teams to "bolster response efforts", it says.
"These teams are working with affected countries and local communities to determine what assistance is needed and with interagency, international, and US military partners to coordinate emergency response efforts," it says.
As a reminder, Trump told reporters on his flight from Japan to South Korea last night that the US was positioned to send assistance to Jamaica if needed.
We're now seeing the first images of the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, but other images have been circulating online.
Our colleagues at BBC Verify have been tracking fake images as Melissa sweeps across the Caribbean:
By Emma Pengelly, BBC Verify journalist
In one image posted yesterday, which claims to show devastation in Jamaica, debris can be seen flying. Items like ladders are strewn across flooded streets, palm trees are buckling in strong wind and building roofs have been torn off.
The post has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on different social media platforms.
One viral Facebook post comes from an account that identifies itself as sharing “AI visuals”. The post also says it is allegedly of a destroyed hospital in the coastal town of Black River, but the layout of the buildings and surrounding landscape do not match its hospital.
We also ran the image through Google’s deepfake detection tool and it found Google AI generation digital watermarks in nearly every part of the image.
There are also other elements of the image which indicate it isn’t real – like repeated patterns in the damaged palm tree leaves and possible inconsistencies in the buildings.
During major weather events we almost always find fake images and video surfacing online, so at times like these it’s important to check reputable sources for information before sharing.
We're now getting some fresh images from Jamaica's Montego Bay area, where Hurricane Melissa has left widespread damage.
The popular tourist destination is now surrounded by shattered roofs and debris on the roads – here are the latest pictures:
In Montego Bay, Jamaica, the island is waking up to extensive damage after being hit by Storm Melissa
The latest advisory from the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) says the storm is continuing to move over eastern Cuba and will "soon emerge" into the southwestern Atlantic.
Melissa is moving at around 14mph (22km/h), with maximum sustained winds now near 105 mph (165 km/h), it says.
In its latest update, the NHC says:
Cuba: Hurricane-force winds are occurring within the warning area, and the eastern part of the country is likely to face life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding with numerous landslides. It is also warning of a dangerous storm surge.
Jamaica: The government of Jamaica has discontinued its tropical storm warning, but the island is expected to face ongoing catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides.
The Bahamas: Hurricane conditions are expected in southeastern and central parts of The Bahamas today. Flash flooding is expected from high rainfall in the south east, and a dangerous storm surge of five to eight feet above normally dry ground is possible today.
Vanessa Buschschlüter
Latin America and Caribbean editor, News Online
The US-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned that preparations to protect life and property should be "rushed to completion" in The Bahamas.
As we've just reported, Hurricane Melissa is forecast to move across The Bahamas later on Wednesday with south-eastern and central islands most at risk.
Prime Minister Philip Davis has said that his government has taken all of the necessary steps to ensure that its response is "organised, resourced, and effective".
On Monday, the government issued an evacuation order for a number of islands in the south-east of the archipelago, which are predicted to be most at risk from Melissa.
In 2019, the archipelago was hit by Dorian, a category five hurricane, whose powerful winds, rain and storm surges left widespread devastation and killed scores of people.
Simon King
Presenter and meteorologist, BBC Weather
After clearing Cuba around lunchtime (GMT), Melissa will track towards The Bahamas this afternoon.
And even though the hurricane continues to weaken, it is still likely to be category two storm with sustained wind speeds of around 100-110mph as it bears down on the Bahamas this evening (GMT).
The path of the centre of Melissa is forecast to pass between Long Island and Crooked Island but hurricane-force winds and heavy rain will be felt more widely across the southeastern Bahamas.
National Hurricane Center forecasts suggest rainfall totals of 5-10 inches, with flash flooding possible along with the threat of a life-threatening storm surge.
Residents of the Bahamas are urged to find safe shelter and follow official guidance from local authorities.
Rozina Sini
BBC News
Yvonne Williams
I have spoken to Yvonne Williams, a teacher in Leeds, whose two sisters live in Jamaica – one in Kingston, the other one in Maypen, Clarendon.
“Ever since the storm made landfall at around 17:00 local time I haven’t been able to get in touch with my sister. I’ve been phoning her every two hours."
She was able to speak to one sister before the hurricane made landfall, but since then she hasn't been able to reach her.
“I kept waking up periodically through the night to try and get through," Yvonne says.
“The last time I spoke to her she said she wasn’t worried as she had prepared and cut down some trees so she wasn’t overly anxious. But she wasn’t sure how a category five storm might look.”
The eye of the storm is now making its way towards the coast of Cuba and away from the island
We've just been hearing from the British Red Cross, as humanitarian organisations rally in response to Hurricane Melissa.
They're waiting for dawn to break in Jamaica to assess the extent of the damage.
Alexander Pendry, the organisation's global response manager, says "early indications are that Hurricane Melissa was a disaster of unprecedented catastrophe for the island".
"News is already coming through that whole communities are under water and that the damage left by the strong winds has been devastating," he adds.
Pendry says the priorities are search and rescue and ensuring everyone has access to healthcare, safe shelter, clean water, food and other essential supplies.
"Tragically, experience tells us that the impact on communities and individuals will be shattering and long lasting. We will be here for as long as people need us.”Simon King
Presenter and meteorologist, BBC Weather
While Hurricane Melissa has cleared Jamaica and winds are substantially lower, there will still be some thunderstorms across the island.
The National Hurricane Center warns that an additional 3-6 inches (7-15cm) of rain is possible in parts, with up to 30 inches over mountainous areas.
Certain areas will remain flooded and there’s a risk of ongoing flash flooding and numerous landslides around mountainous regions that could continue into Wednesday night.
This is likely to make the clear-up and damage assessment quite difficult in the coming days.
A soldier helps evacuate an elderly woman before the arrival of Hurricane Melissa at Siboney beach, in Santiago de Cuba, on Tuesday
We're now seeing the latest update from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), which gives a good indication of the widespread impact of Hurricane Melissa.
The hurricane is currently making its way across eastern Cuba, with "life-threatening storm surges, flash flooding, landslides and damaging winds" hitting the country this morning.
Haiti and the Dominican Republic are expected to see "catastrophic" flash flooding and landslides in some places today. The former, which is significantly less developed than its neighbour, is likely to see "extensive damage and isolation of communities".
In The Bahamas, the largest island of which lies around 400 miles north of Haiti, hurricane conditions are expected to produce life-threatening storm surges in the south-east and centre of the country.
Further east, tropical storm conditions and significant storm surges are expected in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
In Bermuda, around 1,000 miles away from where the hurricane is currently positioned, people are being warned to brace for hurricane conditions tomorrow.
Meanwhile in Jamaica, people are being urged to continue sheltering due to downed power lines and flooding. Storms are expected to continue today.
It's 06:00 in Jamaica, and the sun is rising.
We will soon start to get a clearer picture of the damage Hurricane Melissa has left behind.
We'll be keeping an eye out for all the latest updates and images, stay with us.Vanessa Buschschlüter
Latin America and Caribbean editor
The earlier arrival of Hurricane Melissa in the Communist-ruled island of Cuba prompted a message from the island's 94-year-old former leader, Raúl Castro.
Raúl Castro, who succeeded his older brother Fidel in office, told the National Defence Council that "we will again emerge victorious from this latest challenge".
Castro, who stepped down from the powerful position of First Secretary of the Communist Party in 2021, said "maximum discipline" would be needed to weather the storm.
Cuba's hurricane preparedness – the country conducts annual drills to prepare for disasters – has meant that it has in the past suffered comparably fewer hurricane-related deaths than other Caribbean nations.
The authorities prided itself on the fact that ahead of Melissa making landfall, more than 730,000 people had been evacuated to shelters.
But this hurricane catches Cuba at a particularly dire time. The island is in the grip of its deepest economic crisis in decades.
The country's antiquated power system collapsed several times over the past year, plunging the whole nation into darkness.
Key infrastructure is crumbling and there have been shortages of fuel – needed to operate generators – and medicines, all of which is going to make recovery from potential storm damage a lot more challenging. Simon King
Presenter and meteorologist, BBC Weather
As we reported earlier, Melissa is the most powerful hurricane on record to make a direct hit on Jamaica.
But, across the wider Atlantic, Melissa was noteworthy for the following:
Additionally, the Hurricane Hunters – who fly into hurricanes making crucial observations – measured an instantaneous gust of 252mph just above the ocean surface before landfall.
For context, this comes in marginally behind the world record for the highest wind gust ever observed in a tropical cyclone of 253mph during Cyclone Olivia, which struck Western Australia in April 1996.
Gabriela Pomeroy
Live reporter
Across Jamaica, there are several reports of roofs being ripped off buildings – like this one in St Catherine near Kingston
Verna Genus was sheltering in her four bedroom home in the village of Carlisle, St Elizabeth, Jamaica, when Hurricane Melissa ripped the zinc roof off her house.
The 73-year-old vegetable farmer was at her home on the west coast of the island with her sons and baby grandchild when the hurricane made landfall.
St Elizabeth is one of the areas worst hit by the hurricane – the wind and rain were howling loudly and there was no visibility outside.
Verna has lost communications due to the power lines being down, but she phoned her UK-based sister June Powell after the roof came off. I've been speaking to June this morning.
"She was crying on the phone," June tells me. She adds Verna told her: "You are huddled up inside and then you look up then the roof is gone.
"She was wailing 'we are all finished.'"
June hopes Verna found shelter elsewhere, though it was too dangerous during the hurricane to go out into the street. She is waiting for the phone networks to be restored so she can talk to her again.Simon King
Presenter and meteorologist, BBC Weather
Since making landfall near the city of Chivirico in south-east Cuba, Melissa has been moving north-east over eastern Cuba.
As a result of the rugged Cuban terrain and after encountering some drier air and wind shear – meaning changes in wind speed and direction with height – Melissa has been weakening slightly.
But with winds of 115mph, it still remains a category 3 hurricane and continues to bring damaging winds and dangerous conditions.
It will move back out to sea by around 08:00 local time.
Hurricane Melissa has been slow moving, travelling at 5mph, which is roughly walking pace – particularly during its intensification to category 5 before hitting Jamaica.
It has now picked up some forward speed and is travelling at 10-15mph, which is more typical for a hurricane.
The hurricane will pass through the central Bahamas later before tracking close to Bermuda late on Thursday, as a category 1 hurricane.Nick Davis
Reporting from Kingston, Jamaica
The normal soundtrack that accompanies Jamaican life is silent because many people don't have electricity.
About three-quarters of the island is without power, and many parts of the western side of the island are either under water or have homes destroyed by the strong winds.
We don't know anything about casualties yet, as one of the main things you need to get up and running during a disaster is telecoms.
The storm has put real pressure on the phone systems, as many telephone polls and cell towers have come down.
The government is trying to put in place a plan to use satellite communication to improve their own communication on the ground. It is going to take physical assessments, helicopters going out, to assess what's needed.
It is expected that the airport here in Kingston is going to be up and operational to receive relief flights – but Montego Bay, one of the island's main tourist destinations, is a mess.
Jamaica has a catastrophe bond (a type of insurance for the country), which will hopefully allow people to get back on their feet – but the issue is what's done in the interim.
The average person here does not have the average safety net that you see in more economically developed countries.
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