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The Unprecedented Fury of Hurricane Melissa and the Caribbean's Long Road to Recovery

Wednesday, 12 November 2025 03:00

Summary

Hurricane Melissa, the third Category 5 storm of the 2025 Atlantic season, delivered a catastrophic blow to the Caribbean, becoming the most intense tropical cyclone to make landfall in Jamaica in nearly two centuries. The storm's extreme rapid intensification over unusually warm waters underscored the growing threat of climate-driven disasters in the region. Across Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti, nearly six million people were affected, with initial damage assessments revealing tens of thousands of homes and hundreds of health facilities destroyed or severely damaged. The immediate aftermath saw a massive humanitarian effort, with the United Nations launching a $74 million appeal to provide life-saving assistance to over a million people. However, the sheer scale of the destruction, compounded by millions of tonnes of debris and pre-existing vulnerabilities in nations like Haiti and Cuba, presents a recovery challenge that is expected to be a protracted, multi-year effort.

A Storm of Historic Intensity

Hurricane Melissa emerged as the thirteenth named storm, fifth hurricane, and third Category 5 hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, ultimately becoming the strongest tropical cyclone globally that year . The storm originated from a tropical wave monitored for development on 16 October 2025, which then developed into Tropical Storm Melissa on 21 October in the central Caribbean Sea . Over the following days, the system underwent extreme rapid intensification, a process where its maximum sustained winds increased by 70 mph in just 24 hours . This rapid strengthening occurred as the storm moved sluggishly over ocean waters that were, on average, 1.4°C warmer than usual, a condition climate scientists suggest was made up to 900 times more likely by human-caused climate change . Melissa reached its peak intensity just before making landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on 28 October, with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (297 km/h) . This landfall marked the first time a Category 5 hurricane had directly struck Jamaica and was the most intense tropical cyclone to hit the island in nearly two centuries, surpassing Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 . The storm is also tied with the 1935 Labor Day hurricane as the most intense landfalling Atlantic hurricane and is ranked as the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane overall by central pressure . After traversing Jamaica, the hurricane weakened and made its second landfall near Chivirico, Cuba, on 29 October, as a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) .

Jamaica's Catastrophic Damage and Debris Crisis

The impact on Jamaica was immediate and devastating, leading Prime Minister Andrew Holness to declare the country a disaster area . The entire island felt the brunt of the storm, with massive damage concentrated in the western parishes of St. Elizabeth, St. James, and Westmoreland . At the height of the storm, at least 75 per cent of the island’s electricity grid was non-operational, and over 530,000 people were without power . The slow movement of the Category 5 storm across the island resulted in ferocious winds and extreme rainfall, ripping roofs from buildings and causing widespread flooding and landslides . In the town of Black River in St. Elizabeth Parish, which experienced 150-mph wind speeds, over 75 per cent of buildings were either damaged or completely destroyed . The most common structural failure observed was the pull-out of lightweight metal or zinc sheet roofs, which are often the weakest part of the structure . The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) conducted a satellite--based analysis which estimated that Hurricane Melissa left over 4.8 million tonnes of debris across western Jamaica . This debris, which includes approximately 2.1 million tonnes of building rubble and 1.3 million tonnes of vegetation, is equivalent to about 480,000 standard truckloads . The debris blocked roads, obstructed access to schools, hospitals, and markets, and severely hampered the delivery of relief supplies, making debris removal a critical priority for early recovery . The storm displaced some 125,000 residents in Jamaica, with up to 32,500 people estimated to be internally displaced according to the UNDP’s AI-based model . The economic toll is expected to be the costliest in Jamaican history, with the government set to receive a record payout of $70.8 million (J$11.4 billion) under the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility Segregated Portfolio Company (CCRIF SPC) parametric insurance model .

The Dual Crisis in Cuba and Haiti

Following its passage over Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa struck Cuba’s eastern coast, affecting more than three million people across five provinces, including Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, and Guantanamo . The Cuban Civil Defense system successfully organised mass evacuations, moving over 735,000 people—about 25 per cent of the local population—to safety before the storm hit . This extensive preparedness effort was credited with protecting hundreds of thousands of lives . Despite the successful evacuations, the storm left a trail of destruction, with intense rainfall reaching up to 400 mm in several areas, causing massive flooding in the Cauto River Basin and triggering landslides . Preliminary reports indicated that more than 60,000 homes had sustained total or partial damage, a figure that later climbed to over 90,000 homes affected . Infrastructure damage was also reported in 1,552 of the 2,729 educational centres in the 29 most affected municipalities . The number of affected health facilities rose from 460 to more than 600, further worsening sanitary conditions and increasing the risk of waterborne and vector-borne diseases, especially with concurrent outbreaks of dengue, Oropouche, and chikungunya . The recovery effort in Cuba is uniquely complicated by the country’s exclusion from major international financial institutions, which severely restricts its access to funding sources for both disaster response and long-term economic recovery . Meanwhile, the storm’s effects were felt even in countries not directly in its path, such as Haiti, where the situation was already dire . The storm worsened an existing crisis where one in two Haitians were already severely food insecure . Heavy flooding in the southern and western parts of the country prompted the displacement of more than 16,000 individuals . The Grand Sud region was the hardest hit, with homes and infrastructure washed away, and at least 43 deaths confirmed .

The Humanitarian Response and the Funding Chasm

The sheer scale of the devastation, which affected nearly six million people across the Caribbean, prompted a major scaling up of relief operations by United Nations agencies and their partners . The UN system launched an urgent appeal for $74 million to deliver life-saving assistance to up to 1.1 million people across the impacted countries and to coordinate emergency logistics and telecommunications . Ahead of the Category 5 storm, the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) released $4 million in emergency funding, with UN agencies unlocking an additional $7 million, leaving a significant funding gap of approximately $64 million to meet the most urgent needs . The World Food Programme (WFP) is a central player in the response, planning to assist up to 200,000 people in Jamaica and 900,000 people in Cuba . In Jamaica, WFP has been delivering food kits containing rice, lentils, canned fish and meat, and vegetable oil, with an initial 2,000 kits airlifted from the WFP Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub in Barbados . The agency also plans to extend cash assistance to up to 90,000 households in Jamaica as conditions allow . In Cuba, the UN system’s formal Plan of Action seeks $74.2 million to support one million affected people, focusing on health, water and sanitation, shelter, education, and early recovery . The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is distributing agricultural tools and livestock feed to help restore livelihoods, while the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) is delivering supplies to strengthen disease control . Despite these efforts, the main challenge remains reaching the most isolated communities, particularly in Jamaica, where access was initially cut off to 27 communities . Although access has improved, with only two communities remaining unreachable two weeks after landfall, the precarious state of roads and the massive debris piles continue to slow the delivery of critical supplies, such as 40,000 tarpaulins earmarked for shelter .

Conclusion

The devastation wrought by Hurricane Melissa serves as a stark illustration of the escalating risks faced by vulnerable island nations in a warming world. The storm’s extreme rapid intensification, fuelled by unusually warm ocean temperatures, highlights the direct link between climate change and the increasing severity of tropical cyclones . While the immediate humanitarian response, coordinated by the UN and its partners, has been swift in providing life-saving aid and shelter to hundreds of thousands, the transition from emergency relief to long-term recovery presents a formidable challenge . The total economic damage and losses are estimated to be in the billions of dollars, far exceeding the insured losses due to low insurance penetration across the region . For nations like Cuba, the lack of access to major international financial institutions will make the marathon of recovery significantly more difficult . The path forward requires not only sustained international financial support to bridge the current funding gap but also a fundamental investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, particularly in housing and essential services, to ensure that the next inevitable storm does not result in a similar scale of catastrophe . The experience of Melissa underscores the urgent need for global cooperation to support the Caribbean in adapting to a new, more volatile climate reality .

References

  1. Hurricane Melissa Devastates Multiple Islands in the Caribbean

    Provides the timeline of the storm (Oct 21, 2025), its Category 5 status, landfall dates (Jamaica Oct 28, Cuba Oct 29), wind speeds, number of displaced residents (125,000 in Jamaica, 700,000 in Cuba), and initial casualty figures (at least 80 killed).

  2. The Caribbean: Hurricane Melissa - Flash Update No. 5 (as of 8 November 2025) - Jamaica

    Confirms the total number of people affected (more than 5 million), the death toll (at least 75), the number of displaced/evacuated (over 778,000), the debris volume in Jamaica (4.8 million tonnes), the number of cut-off communities (30 initially), and the UN's $74 million Plan of Action for Cuba.

  3. Hurricane Melissa: UN launches $74 million response for 2.2 million in Cuba

    Details the UN's $74 million appeal, the $4 million in emergency funding released by OCHA, the additional $7 million from UN agencies, the resulting funding gap, the number of Cubans in need (2.2 million), and the casualty figures for Haiti (43 dead, 16,000 displaced).

  4. Insured losses from Hurricane Melissa impacts in Jamaica and Cuba to hit $2.4bn: KCC

    Provides specific damage details for Jamaica (western parishes, roof damage, Black River 75% damage), the insured loss estimate ($2.4 billion), total economic loss estimates ($5-9 billion and $48-52 billion), and the record $70.8 million payout to Jamaica from CCRIF SPC.

  5. Hurricane Melissa hits Cuba after turning Jamaica into 'disaster area'

    Confirms the storm as the most intense tropical cyclone to hit Jamaica in nearly two centuries, the declaration of a disaster area by the Prime Minister, the extent of power outages (530,000 without electricity), and the evacuation numbers in Cuba (more than 735,000).

  6. Hurricane Melissa - Wikipedia

    Provides meteorological history: formed Oct 21, 2025, Category 5 peak, tied for third-most intense Atlantic hurricane, strongest to hit Jamaica since Gilbert in 1988, and the estimated damage cost (>$6 billion).

  7. Nearly 6 million people in the Caribbean impacted by Hurricane Melissa - UN News

    States the total number of people affected (nearly 6 million), WFP's priority to reach isolated communities, the specific impact on St. Elizabeth parish in Jamaica, WFP's assistance goals (200,000 in Jamaica, 900,000 in Cuba, 190,000 in Haiti), and the total $74 million appeal for 1.1 million people.

  8. Hurricane Melissa: Relief efforts intensify as damage across Caribbean grows - UN News

    Provides updated damage assessments in Cuba (over 600 health facilities, 90,000 homes affected), the number of displaced in Cuba (54,000), the improvement in access in Jamaica (down to two unreachable communities), and the challenge of transporting 40,000 tarpaulins.

  9. Hurricane Melissa (2025) | Climate Central

    Explains the extreme rapid intensification (70 mph in 24 hours), the role of climate change (waters 1.4°C warmer, 500 to 900 times more likely), and the Category 5 strength before Jamaica landfall.

  10. IFRC Hurricane Melissa Disaster Brief - TC-2025-000196-HTI | Americas | Cuba - ReliefWeb

    Confirms the Category 5 intensity, the 735,000 people evacuated in Cuba, the Category 3 Cuba landfall, the forecast rainfall (250–500 mm), and the concurrent outbreaks of dengue, Oropouche, and chikungunya.

  11. World Food Program appeals for $74M to aid Caribbean nations hit by Hurricane Melissa

    Confirms the $74 million appeal for 1.1 million people, WFP's plan to assist 900,000 in Cuba and 200,000 in Jamaica, and the pre-existing severe food insecurity in Haiti (one in two Haitians).

  12. WFP ramps up life-saving food assistance as Hurricane Melissa leaves a path of devastation across the Caribbean

    Details WFP's operations, including the use of the Barbados logistics hub, the type of food kits distributed (rice, lentils, canned fish/meat, vegetable oil), and the initial airlift of 2,000 kits.

  13. Plan of Action – Response to Hurricane Melissa: United Nations System in Cuba (October 2025)

    Confirms the $74.2 million appeal for Cuba, the number of people affected (more than three million across five provinces), the initial damage to homes (more than 60,000), the rainfall (up to 400 mm), damage to educational centres (1,552 of 2,729), and the critical note on Cuba's restricted access to international financial institutions.

  14. More than 4.8 million tonnes of debris left by Hurricane Melissa across western Jamaica, according to UN Development Programme analysis

    Provides detailed debris analysis: over 4.8 million tonnes, 480,000 truckloads, breakdown of debris types (building, vegetation, personal property), the impact on up to 90% of buildings in some towns, and the estimate of up to 32,500 internally displaced people in Jamaica.

  15. UN, partners continue to support humanitarian responses in Caribbean two weeks after hurricane landfall

    Gives the most recent figures on damage in Cuba (over 600 health facilities, 90,000 homes), the status of access in Jamaica (only two communities inaccessible), and the specific roles of UN agencies like FAO, PAHO, and UNFPA in the Cuban response.