extreme weather event
Catastrophic Hurricane Melissa: Historic Category 4 Storm Devastates Jamaica, Threatens Cuba
Oct 29, 2025 02:34 pm CST
Hurricane Melissa, the most powerful cyclone ever to hit Jamaica, has devastated the island with 185 mph winds before weakening slightly to Category 4 status as it advances toward Cuba's second-largest city. The storm has left St. Elizabeth parish underwater, damaged critical infrastructure, and cut power to over 500,000 Jamaican residents, with Cuban authorities evacuating 500,000 people as they brace for significant impact. Scientists link the hurricane's unusual intensity to warming ocean temperatures, highlighting the growing climate crisis facing Caribbean nations.
Hurricane Melissa: Jamaica's Most Powerful Storm in 174 Years Causes Catastrophic Damage
Oct 29, 2025 01:43 am CST
Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm with 185 mph winds, made landfall in Jamaica as the strongest hurricane to hit the island in 174 years. The fifth most intense Atlantic basin hurricane on record brought catastrophic winds, flooding and landslides to Jamaica before heading toward Cuba, triggering mass evacuations throughout the Caribbean and leaving seven dead across the region.