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Hurricane Melissa leaves at least 27 dead in Jamaica and Haiti

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Credit: ODPEM

At least 27 people have been confirmed dead in Jamaica and Haiti from the impacts of Hurricane Melissa, according to officials. The first images after landfall in Jamaica showed widespread destruction.

Jamaican Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie said four people, three men and one woman, were found dead in the parish of St. Elizabeth, where Melissa made landfall, after being swept away by floodwaters.

Prime Minister Andrew Holmes, who visited the devastated region on Wednesday, said he was “saddened by the images of destruction” in St. Elizabeth. He shared aerial footage showing the coastal town of Black River heavily damaged, with many homes and buildings either collapsed or severely affected.

In neighboring Haiti, authorities reported at least 23 deaths, mostly in the southern coastal town of Petit-Goave, where flash floods inundated large parts of the community. Ten children are among the victims, and at least 10 others remain missing, officials said. Earlier estimates from the Civil Protection Agency suggested the toll could be higher.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in western Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 185 mph before crossing eastern Cuba early Wednesday as a Category 3. The storm caused catastrophic damage to infrastructure, power systems, and communications across several Caribbean islands.

Significant flooding has been reported in Santiago de Cuba and surrounding areas but no casualties have been confirmed.

The National Hurricane Center said Melissa continues to move northeast toward the Bahamas and Bermuda, where it is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge and heavy rainfall through Thursday.

Hurricane Melissa ranks among the strongest landfalling hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Meteorologists said post-storm analysis will determine its exact position in historical records.

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