A weakened but still powerful Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Cuba early Wednesday, unleashing torrential rains and strong winds across the island’s eastern provinces after leaving a trail of destruction in Jamaica.
According to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), Melissa had downgraded to a Category 3 storm before hitting Santiago de Cuba province with maximum sustained winds of about 120 miles (195 kilometres) per hour. The storm, which had fluctuated between Category 3 and Category 5 intensity, was earlier described by the NHC as “extremely dangerous.”
Cuban authorities placed six eastern provinces under a state of alert and reported that about 735,000 people had been evacuated ahead of the storm’s landfall. President Miguel Díaz-Canel said on social media that “it will be a very difficult night for all of Cuba, but we will recover.”
Residents in affected areas said they had been stockpiling food and essentials since Monday. “We bought bread, spaghetti, and ground beef. This cyclone is serious, but we’ll get through it,” said Graciela Lamaison from Santiago de Cuba.
In neighbouring Haiti, authorities ordered schools, businesses, and government offices closed as the storm’s outer bands brought heavy rainfall and strong winds.
Melissa’s impact has been catastrophic in Jamaica, where it struck on Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane, the strongest ever recorded in the country. Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared Jamaica a “disaster area” as widespread flooding, power outages, and infrastructure damage crippled much of the island.
“The damage to Saint Elizabeth is extensive,” said government minister Desmond McKenzie, adding that several hospitals and public facilities had been hit hard. “The entire Jamaica has felt the brunt of Melissa.”
Jamaica’s Climate Change Minister described the storm’s effects as “catastrophic,” citing submerged homes and destroyed infrastructure.
Experts say Melissa’s severity underscores growing concerns about the impact of human-driven climate change on tropical storm intensity. “Human-caused climate change is making all of the worst aspects of Hurricane Melissa even worse,” said climate scientist Daniel Gilford.
The United Nations announced plans to airlift 2,000 relief kits to Jamaica from Barbados once weather conditions improve, with additional aid expected for Cuba and Haiti.
Jamaican officials said about 25,000 tourists remain stranded on the island as recovery and rescue efforts continue amid widespread communication blackouts.
