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, 2:53 PM EDT

Jamaican prime minister urges residents to obey evacuation orders

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said he’s signed an evacuation order for some areas on the island’s southern coast.

“We can lessen damage and speed up recovery by taking preparatory and precautionary measures before the impact of the hurricane,” Holmes said in a statement.

People watch waves crash, as Hurricane Melissa approaches, in the Harbour View neighborhood of Kingston, Jamaica, October 27, 2025.
Octavio Jones/Reuters

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

Oct 27, 2025, 1:59 PM EDT

Jamaica braces for life-threatening hurricane-force winds

Melissa, a Category 5 hurricane, has strengthened even further and is now packing winds up to 175 mph.

Catastrophic and life-threatening hurricane-force wind conditions are expected to begin in Jamaica Monday night and continue into early Tuesday.

Douglas Butler, a retired fisherman, fills up a barrel of water for his household as Hurricane Melissa approaches, in Port Royal, Jamaica, October 27, 2025.
Octavio Jones/Reuters

People should be prepared for buildings to fall apart, especially in higher elevation areas where wind speeds could be up to 30% stronger.

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.

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