Hurricane Melissa exits Jamaica after landfall, barreling towards Cuba

Hurricane Melissa exited Jamaica and moved north-east toward Cuba on Tuesday as a powerful Category 4 storm, hours after battering the island nation as the strongest hurricane ever to strike its shores. Melissa made landfall near the southwestern Jamaican town of New Hope early Tuesday, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (295 kph), well above the threshold for a Category 5 hurricane, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). The storm tore through coastal communities, uprooting trees, flooding homes, and toppling power lines, leaving widespread devastation in its wake. Hurricane Melissa causes severe damages to four major Hospitals in Jamaica.

Hurricane Melissa causes SEVERE damages to four MAJOR HOSPITALS in Jamaica https://t.co/b8v8eCmdzv pic.twitter.com/5fOjsc0YxU

— RT (@RT_com) October 29, 2025

Prime Minister Andrew Holness described the hurricane’s impact as “catastrophic,” noting that even the country’s strongest infrastructure could not withstand such force. “There is no infrastructure in this region, or maybe anywhere in the world, that could withstand a Category 5 hurricane without some level of damage,” Holness told CNN. “For Jamaica, where the impact was direct, there will be catastrophic damage.”

SHOCKING NEWS: The eye of Hurricane Melissa has exited Jamaica and is now barreling toward Cuba, confirms the National Hurricane Center (NHC).#Melissa #Jamaica pic.twitter.com/LmrUmtozWt

— Still Learning (@Still_learner) October 29, 2025

Authorities reported that more than half a million residents were without power, and large parts of St. Elizabeth parish were left “underwater.” Local media reported at least three deaths related to the storm’s onset and preparations, while many communities remained cut off as of late Tuesday.