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.
Waves splash in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa approaches, Oct. 28, 2025.
Matias Delacroix/AP
Hurricane Melissa became one of the most powerful hurricanes on record to make landfall in the Atlantic Basin.
The hurricane ranks in a three-way tie with Hurricane Dorian (2019) and the Labor Day Hurricane (1935) for the strongest sustained winds at landfall, records show.
Melissa is also the strongest storm in recorded history to make landfall in Jamaica -- after Hurricane Gilbert struck the island as a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph in September 1988.
Jamaica's prime minister has declared the country a disaster area due to Hurricane Melissa.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the order gives the government "the tools to continue managing our response to Hurricane Melissa."
A flooded street is seen in St. Catherine, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa made landfall, October 28, 2025.
Ricardo Makyn/AFP via Getty Images
Oct 28, 2025, 6:50 PM EDT
No fatalities reported yet following landfall in Jamaica: Official
No fatalities have been reported so far in Jamaica since Melissa made landfall, Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica's Disaster Risk Management Council, said during a press briefing based on preliminary information.
McKenzie noted it's still early, as response crews haven't been able to reach the worst-hit areas yet.
Jamaican officials had reported Monday that three people died in Jamaica amid preparations for the storm.
People walk along a road during the passing of Hurricane Melissa in Rocky Point, Jamaica, Oct. 28, 2025.
Matias Delacroix/AP
During his briefing Tuesday, McKenzie said at least three families were trapped in Black River, and that rescue teams were trying to reach the area.
He described the impacts of Hurricane Melissa on several regions of the island.
The southwestern parish of St. Elizabeth is flooded and parts of Clarendon are also reporting extensive damage, he said. There have also been reports of flooding, fallen trees, power outages, landslides and storm surges, especially in St. Thomas, Portland and St. Catherine, he said.
Four main hospitals on the island all sustained damage, he said.
Nearly 6,000 people are in shelters across Jamaica as of Tuesday afternoon, according to McKenzie.
Oct 28, 2025, 5:57 PM EDT
State Department says Jamaica has formally requested assistance
The State Department said it has received a formal request for assistance from the government of Jamaica and is working with the government to assist people affected by Hurricane Melissa.
The department has prepositioned emergency relief supplies in six warehouses that will allow for the distribution of emergency relief supplies to people affected by the storm, a State Department official tells ABC News.
The official said that the State Department "maintains warehouses around the world from which we can distribute lifesaving aid in the aftermath of natural disasters."
