WATCH: Unimaginable scenes as Cat 5 Hurricane Melissa destroys Jamaica 

Jamaica is reeling tonight after Category 5 Hurricane Melissa unleashed catastrophic damage across the island. Melissa slammed the island with 185 mph winds on Tuesday afternoon, causing widespread destruction and killing at least four people on the island.

Video footage emerging from Montego Bay and St Elizabeth shows scenes of total devastation. Homes are ripped apart, vehicles swept away and streets have been transformed into raging rivers. In the city of Montego Bay, St James, residents report flooded roads, fallen trees and broken light poles with several areas submerged underwater.

Video footage emerging from Montego Bay and St Elizabeth shows scenes of total devastation#wicnews #hurricane #hurricanemelissa #Category5 #Jamaica pic.twitter.com/VWaLJmURgW

— WIC News (@WIC_News) October 30, 2025

In St Elizabeth, floodwaters are so high that residents are using boats to reach the ones in need. Moreover, power outages have also been reported island wide due to damages in power infrastructure.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, through his X account, shared the aerial shots of St Elizabeth and called the scenes ‘heartbreaking’. “The damage is great, but we are going to devote all our energy to mount a strong recovery,” he said.

I am now in St Elizabeth and images of destruction are all around.
The damage is great, but we are going to devote all our energy to mount a strong recovery. pic.twitter.com/s7P31ytXzm

— Andrew Holness (@AndrewHolnessJM) October 29, 2025

Catastrophic damage has also been reported over Western Jamaica, where Melissa made landfall. In Black River, a lot of homes and structures were severely damaged by the Hurricane. From a once peaceful coastal town known for its natural beauty and rich mangrove forests, it has become a flattened land, barely recognizable after being struck by the powerful storm.

In the rural community of Grierfield, Moneague, St Ann, locals are picking up the pieces after the storm ripped through their homes. One of the residents, Garry Dawson, was among the several community members who were seen repairing their roods before nightfall after strong winds blew them off. Several of his household items were destroyed due to the hurricane.

‘Man, Gilbert a Baby,’ said a resident while referring to the 2015 Hurricane and noting that Melissa was much stronger that Gilbert and called it a ‘terrible hurricane’.

The community of St James has also suffered severe damage as shown in a video shared by PM Holness on his official X account. He noted that, “Despite the difficulties the Jamaican spirit shines through as a strong reminder that we are a resilient nation with the capacity to triumph over adversity.”

I am now in St James where we are continuing our damage assessment.
The residents here have suffered significant damage including severe flooding.
Despite the difficulties the Jamaican spirit shines through as a strong reminder that we are a resilient nation with the capacity to… pic.twitter.com/dPDL8Evjnb

— Andrew Holness (@AndrewHolnessJM) October 29, 2025

Weather experts are saying that the wind gusts from Hurricane Melissa are no joke as the deadly category 5 storm pounded Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic landfalling hurricanes in 90 years.

Following the devastation, the island nation of 2.8 million shut down all airports, and as many as 25,000 tourists were trapped.