The death toll from Hurricane Melissa has entered double digits, as the powerful storm nears the Bahamas after leaving a trail of destruction across Jamaica and parts of Cuba.
Authorities in Haiti said that at least 25 people, including children, had died after a river burst its banks in the costal town of Petit-Goâve. At least eight people are believed to have been killed in Jamaica, as well as one in the Dominican Republic.
Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated to shelters ahead of the arrival of the “extremely dangerous” storm, with a hurricane warning put in place for Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, as well as the southeastern and central Bahamas among other place.
In Jamaica, the storm knocked out power to 70 percent of the island, officials said.
Despite being initially classed as a Category 5 and one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, Melissa has now been downgraded to a Category 2 storm, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
National Hurricane Center Director Dr Michael Brennan said Wednesday morning that Melissa will reach the Bahamas by later in the day, but noted that the system’s increasing forward speed would pull it away from the islands by Thursday.
Recap: Hurricane Melissa continues to barrel through the Caribbean
On Wednesday Hurricane Melissa smashed through Cuba after laying waste to Jamaica, leaving thousands without power and multiple casualties. It is expected to arrive in the Bahamas shortly.
Here’s a recap, following the National Hurricane’s Center’s 11 a.m. update:
- Dozens of casualties have been reported across the Caribbean, including four in Jamaica, including an infant, one in the Dominican Republic and dozens in Haiti, after a river burst its banks.
- Melissa has moved on through Cuba, weakening to a Category 2, though “life-threatening” storm surge, flash flooding and landslides, remain possible.
- Catastrophic flash flooding and landslides are expected across portions of Haiti and the Dominican Republic through Wednesday. In Haiti, extensive damage and isolation of communities is likely.
- Hurricane conditions, life-threatening storm surge. and heavy rainfall are expected across portions of the southeastern and central Bahamas today. Almost all flights out of the main airport in Turks and Caicos were cancelled.
- Hurricane conditions and heavy rainfall are expected in Bermuda beginning late Thursday and continuing through Thursday night.
- Over 70 percent of Jamaica has been left without power following Melissa’s destruction earlier this week, island officials said.
In pictures: Children and other residents evacuated from Cuba ahead of Melissa’s arrival
Death toll from Melissa hits double digits across the Caribbean
The death toll from Hurricane Melissa has entered double digits, as the powerful storm nears the Bahamas after leaving a trail of destruction across Jamaica and parts of Cuba.
Authorities in Haiti said that at least 25 people, including children, had died after a river burst its banks in the costal town of Petit-Goâve. At least four people are believed to have been killed in Jamaica, as well as one in the Dominican Republic.
International visitors to Jamaica are safe, tourism minister says
All international visitors who rode out Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica have been accounted for and are in good health, the island’s tourism minister has said.
Around 25,000 tourists were in Jamaica as the storm hit Tuesday, according to Edmund Bartlett.
Two tourists suffered “minor lacerations” from falling debris and another suffered a stroke, but “the medical condition of everybody is in good order,” he said.
Bartlett added that Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston may reopen on Wednesday for relief flights and humanitarian aid. Flights to evacuate guests should be operational from Thursday.
Sangster International Airport, which sustained heavy damage remains closed. Bartlett said he intended to visit the airport and hoped it would also soon resume flights.
At least three babies born during Hurricane Melissa
Three “Melissa” babies were safely born in Jamaica as the storm battered the island Tuesday, authorities have said.
“You know, Jamaicans, in the middle of all of this, a baby was safely delivered under emergency conditions,” Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie told reporters Wednesday.
He compared the infant to other “Gilbert babies” – delivered during Hurricane Gilbert in 1988.
McKenzie’s office confirmed that two other babies were also delivered during the storm.
Melissa’s path moving towards the Bahamas
Hurricane Melissa has now cleared Cuba
The eye of Melissa has now cleared Cuba, though threats of hurricane conditions still remain warned Michael Brennan, the director of the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane conditions are ongoing for southeastern Cuba, and up to 25 inches of rain was still expected,
Severe flash flooding and landslides are still a possibility, Brennan warned Wednesday.
U.S. sending rescue teams and supplies to the Caribbean
The U.S. is sending rescue teams and supplies to parts of the Caribbean affected by Hurricane Melissa, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said.
“The United States is in close contact with the governments of Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic and The Bahamas as they confront the devastating impacts of Hurricane Melissa,” Rubio wrote on X.
“We have rescue and response teams heading to affected areas along with critical lifesaving supplies. Our prayers are with the people of the Caribbean.”
NHC Director says Melissa to hit the Bahamas later today
National Hurricane Center Director Dr Michael Brennan has said that Melissa will reach the Bahamas by later in the day Wednesday.
However, he noted that the system’s forward speed will continue to increase so is likely will be pulling away from the islands by tomorrow.
Brennan added that the storm would be near to Bermuda by Thursday day and into the night, as well as lingering through Friday morning.
“Life-threatening” conditions are ongoing, he said.
Hurricane predictions remarkably accurate despite NOAA cuts
Forecaster predictions on the path and severity of Hurricane Melissa have been remarkably accurate, despite cuts to NOAA programs, including the National Hurricane Center.
CNN notes the NHC had a three-day lead time in predicting that Melissa would rapidly intensify, when the system was not yet classified as a hurricane.
The agency also predicted that Melissa would reach Category 5 at least 36 hours beforehand, when it was still only Category 1.
Predictions that the storm would come ashore in western Jamaica as a Category 4 storm were also correct, four days before it happened – and the forecast track was ultimately only 13 miles off.
