Hurricane Melissa live updates: No official death toll in Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa tore a path of destruction across Jamaica.

ByJack Moore, David Brennan, Emily Shapiro, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: October 30, 2025, 10:54 PM EDT

Hurricane Melissa tore a path of destruction across Jamaica after the storm made landfall on Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane, one of the most powerful landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin.

After lashing Jamaica with dangerous winds and flooding rain, Melissa made a second landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday morning. Melissa then moved through the Bahamas, and next, on Thursday night, the storm will pass Bermuda as a Category 1 or 2 hurricane.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Oct 27, 2025, 1:11 PM EDT

1,000 nonessential personnel evacuated from Guantanamo ahead of storm

The Navy this weekend moved 1,000 nonessential personnel, family members, residents and pets from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay ahead of Hurricane Melissa.

Service members carry a crated family pet for transport to a temporary animal control holding facility onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola as non-mission essential personnel are evacuated from the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Oct. 25, 2025.
Jon Jezreel Japay Andres/Naval Air Station Pensacola

Service members carry a crated family pet for transport to a temporary animal control holding facility onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola as non-mission essential personnel are evacuated from the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Oct. 25, 2025.
Garrett Dipuma/Naval Air Station Pensacola

“We're monitoring the storm's progress very closely and taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of our personnel and the readiness of our bases," Navy Region Southeast commander Rear Adm. John Hewitt said in a statement.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez

Oct 27, 2025, 11:29 AM EDT

Melissa expected to ravage Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa is a worst-case scenario storm for Jamaica and is expected to ravage the island’s infrastructure.

Palm trees are shaken by the wind, ahead of Hurricane Melissa at Hellshire Beach, in the coastal town of Hellshire, Jamaica, October 26, 2025.
Octavio Jones/Reuters

Melissa is forecast to wash away roads, destroy homes and knock out electricity, leaving communities isolated, meteorologists said.

All major airports in Jamaica have closed, leaving residents and many American tourists stranded.

In Kingston, grocery store shelves have emptied as families prepare to shelter in place.

Oct 27, 2025, 11:23 AM EDT

Melissa to make landfall early Tuesday

Hurricane Melissa is located 145 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and is expected to turn north on Monday to make landfall on the island around sunrise on Tuesday.

Tracking Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean Sea.
ABC News

Melissa, which is a Category 5 hurricane churning with powerful 165 mph winds, remains a worst-case scenario storm for Jamaica.

Widespread heavy rain is already underway and is expected to last continuously through Tuesday afternoon, leading to life-threatening flooding and landslides.

Catastrophic winds are anticipated, especially on Tuesday morning.

Record storm surge is also forecast for the southern coast, with Kingston possibly getting hit the hardest.

-ABC News’ Kenton Gewecke

Oct 27, 2025, 10:41 AM EDT

What to know about storm surge dangers

Hurricane Melissa is forecast to bring extreme, life-threatening storm surge to Jamaica when it strikes the island Monday into Tuesday.

The storm surge will decimate parts of Jamaica's southern coast, with water surging up to 13 feet above ground level.

Click here to read about how storm surge works and why it's so dangerous.

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