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 28, 2025, 2:14 PM EDT

Storm heads north-northeast with 165 mph winds

Hurricane Melissa is ripping across western Jamaica with life-threatening 165 mph winds.

Melissa remains a Category 5 storm, which is the highest hurricane level. Category 5 hurricanes have winds of 157 mph or higher.

The storm is moving north-northeast, bringing catastrophic winds, flash flooding and storm surge to the island.

Tuesday afternoon will be the height of the storm for western Jamaica. Then, Melissa takes aim on Cuba.


Residents self-evacuate under pouring rain from Playa Siboney to safe locations ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Melissa, in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, October 28, 2025.
Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images

Oct 28, 2025, 1:02 PM EDT

Category 5 hurricane makes landfall in Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa has made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane -- one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin.

Hurricane Melissa, now a powerful Category 5 storm, is bearing down on Jamaica and is forecast to be the worst storm in the island's history.
NOAA

Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica near New Hope around 1 p.m. ET with estimated maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. This is considered an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation; people in Jamaica are urged to shelter in place.

Oct 28, 2025, 12:47 PM EDT

Melissa among strongest hurricanes ever recorded in Atlantic

Melissa has strengthened into one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic, with winds of 185 mph and a pressure of 892 mb, according to NOAA. Only one hurricane has had stronger sustained winds (reaching 190 mph) and only two hurricanes have had a lower pressure (888 mb, 882 mb).

The most recent hurricane with 185 mph winds was Dorian, which hit the Bahamas in 2019. Melissa is the strongest since then.

Oct 28, 2025, 12:47 PM EDT

Jamaican military prepared for search and rescue operations

Jamaica’s military and fire brigade will be tasked with search and rescue operations after Hurricane Melissa moves across the island, according to Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica's Disaster Risk Management Council.

"We have equipment that are pre-positioned,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

"Once the request comes in, the team will be ready to go. We have boats, helicopters … you name it," McKenzie said.

Waves splash in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa approaches, Oct. 28, 2025.
Matias Delacroix/AP

The Jamaica Defence Force said it’s also calling up the country's national reserve force.

"Your service matters now more than ever,” commander of the Jamaica National Reserve Brig. Ricardo Blidgen said in a statement. “All of you are essential to the JDF's ability to protect lives, restore stability and support our fellow Jamaicans in their time of need.”

-ABC News’ Ike Ejiochi and Othon Levya

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