Jamaica faced unprecedented devastation as Hurricane Melissa, a ferocious Category 5 hurricane, made landfall on Tuesday, October 28, 2025. With sustained winds reaching a staggering 185 miles per hour (295 kilometers per hour), Melissa surpassed the intensity of historic storms like Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The storm brought ferocious winds, torrential rains, and life-threatening conditions, marking it as the most powerful hurricane ever to strike the island nation. The US National Hurricane Center issued urgent warnings, emphasizing the extreme danger and urging residents to seek shelter and avoid windows, even during the deceptive calm of the storm’s eye. Tragically, seven deaths have already been reported across Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, with officials expressing concern over residents ignoring evacuation pleas. Jamaican government minister Desmond McKenzie implored citizens to prioritize safety, noting that many of the island’s 880 shelters remained underutilized. The combination of storm surges and heavy rainfall, expected to be measured in feet rather than inches, threatens to trigger catastrophic floods and landslides. Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt, a national icon, took to social media to urge his fellow Jamaicans to stay safe. Meanwhile, residents like Ishack Wilmot in Kingston described the harrowing experience of losing electricity and water while enduring the storm’s relentless intensity. The Jamaican Red Cross, preparing for widespread infrastructure disruptions, highlighted the anxiety caused by Melissa’s slow progression, which prolonged its destructive impact. Meteorologists and climate scientists have linked the storm’s unprecedented strength to human-driven climate change, which has exacerbated the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events. Hurricane Melissa is expected to continue its path of destruction, moving toward eastern Cuba after devastating Jamaica. Experts warn that the storm’s scale and impact could rival historic hurricanes like Katrina, Maria, and Harvey, underscoring the urgent need for global action on climate change.