The death toll from Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica has reached 28, according to Prime Minister Andrew Holness. He noted that there are nine additional confirmed fatalities and ongoing verification of other possible deaths, indicating the number may rise further. Emergency responders are facing challenges in reaching certain areas of the island due to blocked roads, debris, and flooding.
Melissa, a Category 5 hurricane, is among the strongest hurricanes recorded in the Caribbean, prompting significant damage across multiple nations, including Cuba and Haiti, where landslides and powerful winds have been reported. The full extent of damage in Jamaica has only surfaced recently, following the storm’s landfall on Tuesday, which resulted in widespread communication outages and loss of power. Areas such as Black River and Montego Bay experienced severe destruction.
Currently, the Red Cross reports that 72% of Jamaicans are without electricity, and approximately 6,000 people are residing in emergency shelters. Jamaican officials are setting up field hospitals in the most affected regions to tend to those injured. Although aid is beginning to arrive following the temporary closure of airports, the distribution is complicated by landslides and downed infrastructure.
The situation has led to reports of people urgently searching for essential supplies in supermarkets and pharmacies. Hurricane Melissa recorded sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h) at its peak, qualifying it as capable of catastrophic damage. In neighboring Haiti, at least 31 fatalities have been recorded, with two deaths noted in the Dominican Republic, while Cuba has seen the evacuation of thousands and significant damage to homes.
The relationship between climate change and the frequency and intensity of hurricanes is an ongoing area of research, with indications that rising sea temperatures could lead to more powerful storms. As the Atlantic hurricane season approaches, predictions from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggest above-normal activity.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1e34p92q0vo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss