Hurricane Melissa has left dozens dead and massive destruction across Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica, with roofless homes, power outages, and flooded streets dominating the region on Wednesday.
In Jamaica’s St Elizabeth parish, a landslide cut off roads in Santa Cruz, turning streets into mud. “I never see anything like this before in all my years living here,” said resident Jennifer Small.
The hurricane made landfall Tuesday as a Category 5 storm with winds of 185 mph (295 kph), later weakening as it swept into Cuba.
At least 25 people have died and 18 are missing in Haiti, mostly in a southern coastal town where floods flattened houses, reports AP.
At least eight people were killed in Jamaica. Cuba reported collapsed homes, blocked roads, and blown-off roofs, with 735,000 people in shelters. “That was hell. All night long, it was terrible,” said Reinaldo Charon of Santiago de Cuba.
Jamaica’s Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon said, “It is too early for us to say definitively.”
Power outages affected 77% of the island, and communication blackouts hampered damage assessments.
“Recovery will take time, but the government is fully mobilized,” said Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
Mayor Richard Solomon of Black River called the destruction “catastrophic,” as hospitals and emergency units were flooded.
Transportation Minister Daryl Vaz said two airports reopened for relief flights only. “The devastation is enormous,” he said.
In Haiti’s Petit-Goâve, where 20 people died including 10 children, lawyer Charly Saint-Vil said, “People have lost everything.”
He added, “We don’t know what will happen tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”
In Cuba, residents began clearing debris.
Melissa, now a Category 1 hurricane, was forecast to hit the Bahamas late Wednesday with storm surges up to 7 feet (2 meters).
