Monster Cat 5 Hurricane Melissa leaves 7 dead, Jamaica braces for catastrophic landfall 

Caribbean: In a shocking development, seven individuals have already lost their lives while 13 others are injured due to Category 5 Hurricane Melissa which has caused catastrophic impacts across the Caribbean. As of now, at least seven people have been killed across the region, which three deaths being reported in Haiti, one in Dominican Republic and three in Jamaica.

Weather experts are referring to the storm as a ‘Monster’ and notes that it closes in with record breaking winds and torrential rain. Officials say it could be the most powerful storm to ever hit the island of Jamaica.

Talking about the deaths, Health Minister of Jamaica Dr Christopher Tufton said that it occurred in Hanover, St Catherine, and St Elizabeth, where a healthcare worker was killed after a tree fell on him.

“We understand the need to prepare but we urge extreme caution in that preparation. If you need help, call for help,” Tufton said. Most injuries were linked to persons falling from ladders or rooftops while making storm preparations, the minister said.

Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton also extended condolences to the families and urged everyone to exercise extreme caution during this period.

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According to meteorologists, Hurricane Melissa is a massive Category 5 storm with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph and a minimum central pressure of at least 906 millibars which makes it one of the ten most intense hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic region.

Landfall is projected today on Jamaica’s southern coast where weather experts predict up to 40 inches of rain, a storm surge of up to 13 feet as well as widespread destruction. The storm’s intensity and slow speed of around 2 mph are heightening the fears of catastrophic impacts.

Amid these fears, the Jamaican government has issued mandatory evacuations in flood-prone communities however compliance has been low. Prime Minister Andrew Holness has made several tv appearances pleading with residents to take the storm seriously.

Today I visited my constituency to check on our preparedness for the hurricane.

I urged residents who live along the Sandy Gully to take every precaution.

I talked with residents about their safety and about the plans to address the issues along the gully.

I then received a… pic.twitter.com/Yp26dgSeW8

— Andrew Holness (@AndrewHolnessJM) October 28, 2025

Authorities in Jamaica have opened over 880 shelters, however, some remain half empty as several residents stay behind in their residences. Streets in Kingston are already flooded, with trees falling, landslides blocking roads, and widespread power cuts reported.

“We’ve done everything we can, cleared drains, opened shelters, prepared supplies,” said Desmond McKenzie, Jamaica’s Minister of Local Government. “Now, we can only wait and pray.”

Meteorologists warn that Melissa’s slow movement could make the situation even worse, dumping massive amounts of rain and causing landslides across the island.

Hurricane #Melissa intensifies to #Category5, bringing catastrophic rainfall and powerful winds to Jamaica, Haiti, and the #DominicanRepublic. Impacts extend well beyond the #forecast cone, with up to a foot of rain expected across southern regions.#wicnews #HurricaneMelissa pic.twitter.com/q8rmU6gm42

— WIC News (@WIC_News) October 27, 2025

Melissa is also expected to slam into eastern Cuba after hitting Jamaica and then move on to southeastern and central Bahamas, both under hurricane warnings.