[An image of a hurricane from space. Photo credit to Unsplash]

Hurricane Melissa battered the northern Caribbean from October 27th to 30th, leaving a trail of devastation across Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Melissa began forming over the southern Caribbean Sea on October 21st as a tropical storm and steadily gained strength as it tracked northward.

By October 24th, meteorologists warned that Melissa had intensified due to warm ocean waters and favorable atmospheric conditions.

It quickly escalated from a tropical storm to a full hurricane, reaching Category 4 status with sustained winds exceeding 140 mph by October 26th.

During thethis process, The World Meteorological Organization (WMO)’s Regional Specialized Meteorological Center Miami, operated by the US National Hurricane Center, issued regular advisories and emergency orders.

“Melissa will break many records. But we hope that casualties will be kept to a minimum thanks to the power of prediction, the benefits of international and regional cooperation based on data sharing and observations, and national action and community mobilization based on trust,” stated Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General. 

Jamaica took proactive measures, activating hundreds of emergency shelters and urging mass evacuations. 

On October 28th, Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane.

With sustained winds near 185 mph, it was one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic since 1851.

The hurricane hit the southern coast of Jamaica the hardest, particularly the St. Elizabeth and Clarendon parishes.

Storm surges reached up to 13 feet high, and rainfalls between 15 and 30 inches led to severe flooding and landslides.

Initial assessments after Melissa hit estimated that approximately three-quarters of the island was without power, and that vast regions were cut off due to collapsed infrastructure. 

By October 29th, more than 25,000 Jamaicans sought refuge in shelters as families abandoned inundated homes.

After Jamaica, Melissa weakened to a high Category 3 before making landfall in Cuba, where it also caused flooding and power outrages. 

It continued to lose strength, becoming a Category 1, as it headed towards The Bahamas and Bermuda, but still left considerable damage.

Haiti, despite not being directly hit, suffered from flooding and mudslides that destroyed homes.

This led to at least 20 deaths, the highest reported fatalities in a single nation from the hurricane, and displaced thousands.

The Dominican Republic also experienced heavy rainfall displacing over 3,700 people and causing extensive infrastructure damage.

Housing, health, water supply systems, and economic activity have been severely impacted in all countries, especially in their impoverished communities. 

The total number of casualties identified is 49 people, but rescue and relief efforts continue to reach more isolated areas. 

Humanitarian organizations and other international agencies swiftly mobilized, offering shelter and essential services to the best of their ability, activating pre-planned emergency responses.

Local and foreign military teams were also mobilized, deploying helicopters for search-and-rescue missions and supply drops.

The unprecedented intensity of Hurricane Melissa underscores growing concerns about climate change and extreme weather events. 

Meteorologists and disaster experts hope that enhanced forecasting technology and monitoring will limit casualties in the future, especially with climate change.