Jamaica is on high alert as Hurricane Melissa, the world’s strongest storm of 2025, barrels toward the island with devastating force. The massive Category 5 hurricane has already claimed three lives in Jamaica, and four more in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as it continues to unleash catastrophic winds and torrential rain across the Caribbean.
According to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), Melissa’s sustained winds have reached 175 mph (282 km/h), making it the most powerful hurricane ever recorded to threaten Jamaica since weather records began in 1851.
‘We Achieved Our Goal’: Doug Ford Defends Reagan-Themed Anti-Tariff Ad Amid US-Canada Trade Tensions
‘Catastrophic and Life-Threatening’ Conditions Expected
The NHC warned that Jamaica will face catastrophic, life-threatening hurricane-force winds beginning early Tuesday. The storm, moving slowly at just 2 mph (4 km/h), is expected to cause prolonged rainfall, flash flooding, and deadly landslides, especially in higher elevation areas where wind speeds could be up to 30% stronger.
NHC Director Michael Brennan urged residents to stay indoors:
“Do not venture outside with catastrophic life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides expected through Tuesday.”
Deputy Director Jamie Rhome added that Melissa’s slow movement could bring up to 40 inches (100 cm) of rainfall in parts of Jamaica — enough to trigger “a catastrophic event” across the island.
Prime Minister Orders Mass Evacuations
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared emergency evacuations for vulnerable communities, including areas around Kingston.
“We will weather this storm and rebuild stronger,” Holness said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
He urged citizens to stay indoors, comply with evacuation orders, and take shelter in one of 881 government-activated facilities.
Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon warned that heavy rainfall over the past month has already left the ground “very saturated,” raising the risk of “extensive flooding and landslides in the mountainous areas.”
Human Stories from the Eye of the Storm
Across the island, residents are bracing for the worst. Evadney Campbell, a visitor from London, said her family was checking on neighbors and reinforcing their hurricane-proof home.
“I am worried about people who live on the lowlands… Many do not want to leave because they fear looting,” she told the BBC.
In the mountainous town of Hagley Gap, teacher Damian Anderson told Reuters that his community had been cut off by flooding:
“We can’t move. We’re scared.”
Storm’s Path Across the Caribbean
At 23:00 ET Monday (03:00 GMT Tuesday), Melissa was located about 140 miles (240 km) southwest of Kingston, moving north-northeast. Forecast models show the hurricane tracking over Jamaica’s northern coast Tuesday night, before moving toward Cuba and the Bahamas on Wednesday.
Tropical storm conditions are also expected in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Turks and Caicos Islands as the system moves northward.
Destruction in Haiti and the Dominican Republic
Before reaching Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa wreaked havoc on the island of Hispaniola.
In Haiti, at least three people have been killed and hundreds of homes flooded. In the Dominican Republic, a 79-year-old man died after being swept away by floodwaters in Santo Domingo, where streets were submerged and vehicles trapped. A 13-year-old boy remains missing after being carried off by strong ocean currents.
A Historic and Dangerous Storm
Meteorologists say that Hurricane Melissa could go down as one of the strongest storms in modern history. Data from the NHC shows that in terms of maximum sustained winds and minimum central pressure, it currently surpasses all other storms recorded globally in 2025.
The storm’s intensity has even forced a US Hurricane Hunter aircraft to abort a mission due to extreme turbulence — a rare occurrence that underscores the storm’s unprecedented power.
Conclusion
As Hurricane Melissa bears down on Jamaica, authorities warn of record-breaking destruction and historic rainfall. With winds strong enough to cause “total structural failure,” and flooding that could reshape communities, this storm marks one of the most dangerous moments in Jamaica’s modern history.
Citizens are urged to follow evacuation orders, seek shelter, and stay informed through official updates as the nation braces for impact.