Hurricane Melissa has unleashed its full fury upon Cuba, striking with devastating force just hours after reducing Jamaica to a catastrophic disaster zone. The powerful Category 4 storm continues its destructive path through the Caribbean, leaving emergency services scrambling across multiple nations.
Jamaica's State of Emergency
The island of Jamaica now resembles a war zone according to initial reports, with widespread flooding, demolished infrastructure, and communications completely severed in many regions. Prime Minister Andrew Holness didn't mince words when declaring the entire island a disaster area, stating the damage has reached 'unprecedented levels' that will require massive international assistance.
Cuba Bears the Brunt
As Melissa made landfall in southeastern Cuba, meteorologists recorded sustained winds reaching 130mph (215km/h), placing millions of residents in immediate danger. Cuban authorities had initiated mass evacuations in vulnerable coastal areas, but the storm's rapid intensification caught many communities off guard.
The timing couldn't be worse for Cuban infrastructure, with early reports indicating:
- Complete power outages across multiple provinces
- Widespread structural damage to homes and businesses
- Critical agricultural regions submerged under floodwaters
- Emergency response teams hampered by blocked roads
Regional Impact and Response
Neighbouring nations including the Bahamas and Florida are now on high alert as Hurricane Melissa continues its northwest trajectory. The US National Hurricane Center has issued multiple warnings for coastal regions, predicting dangerous storm surges and life-threatening conditions.
International aid organisations have begun mobilising resources, but access remains severely limited due to the extensive damage to airports and seaports throughout the affected regions.
Climate Change Connection
Meteorologists are noting that Hurricane Melissa's rapid intensification follows a worrying pattern of increasingly powerful Atlantic storms. The unusually warm ocean temperatures this season have provided ideal conditions for such extreme weather events to develop with frightening speed.
Emergency response coordinators emphasise that the full extent of the damage may not be known for days as communication networks are gradually restored across the hardest-hit areas.
