Stunning drone footage has laid bare the utter devastation wrought by Hurricane Melissa across Jamaica's vulnerable coastal communities, revealing a landscape transformed into rubble and wreckage.
The powerful Category 4 storm carved a destructive path through the island nation, with fishing villages bearing the brutal brunt of nature's fury. Aerial views show once-vibrant communities now reduced to splintered wood and twisted metal, painting a heartbreaking picture of loss and resilience.
A Community Shattered
Where colourful fishing boats once dotted the shoreline, now only debris remains scattered across the battered coast. Homes that sheltered generations of families stand roofless, their contents exposed to the elements as the community grapples with the monumental task of rebuilding.
Local fishermen stare in disbelief at what remains of their livelihoods - vessels that provided sustenance now matchwood, fishing gear lost to the storm's relentless surge.
The Long Road to Recovery
Emergency services and relief organisations are racing against time to reach isolated communities cut off by floodwaters and debris. The scale of destruction suggests recovery will be measured in months, if not years, as Jamaica faces one of its most destructive hurricane seasons in recent memory.
Meteorologists confirm Hurricane Melissa packed sustained winds of 130 mph, with storm surges overwhelming coastal defences and flooding low-lying areas that had never before experienced such catastrophic water levels.
As the Caribbean nation begins the painful process of assessment and recovery, international aid agencies are mobilising support while locals demonstrate remarkable resilience, already beginning the back-breaking work of clearing debris and salvaging what little remains.
