Hurricane Melissa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across Caribbean and Beyond
A powerful storm that brought Category 5 winds to Jamaica has left a devastating trail of destruction across several countries in the Caribbean. The hurricane made landfall on Tuesday night as a category 5 storm, packing gusts of up to 185mph at its peak.
The worst-hit areas were western parts of Jamaica, where an estimated 90% of homes lost their roofs or were destroyed entirely. Roughly three-quarters of the country was left without electricity, with at least 19 fatalities reported at the time of publication. The cleanup operation was hampered by thunderstorms even after Melissa cleared to the north.
The hurricane's journey continued as it made landfall in Cuba, bringing winds of up to 120mph and torrential rains. However, its impact was further felt in Haiti, where flash floods and landslides resulted in at least 30 reported deaths.
As Melissa continues to move north-east towards Bermuda and the Bahamas, officials are bracing for potential impacts. In contrast, Cyclone Montha has made landfall in south-east India, causing widespread flooding and damage. Authorities evacuated nearly 40,000 people from low-lying areas ahead of the storm, but rainfall totals of up to 250mm resulted in significant destruction.
The farming sector was particularly badly hit in Andhra Pradesh, with estimated losses totalling $603m. In Vietnam, prolonged torrential rain has led to flooding in homes, farmland, and UNESCO world heritage sites in Hue and Hoi An. At least 10 people have lost their lives, while over 128,000 houses were inundated with water.
Meanwhile, landslides in mountainous regions have blocked roads and passes, leaving drivers stranded. With the storm continuing to move northwards, officials are urging residents to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety.
A powerful storm that brought Category 5 winds to Jamaica has left a devastating trail of destruction across several countries in the Caribbean. The hurricane made landfall on Tuesday night as a category 5 storm, packing gusts of up to 185mph at its peak.
The worst-hit areas were western parts of Jamaica, where an estimated 90% of homes lost their roofs or were destroyed entirely. Roughly three-quarters of the country was left without electricity, with at least 19 fatalities reported at the time of publication. The cleanup operation was hampered by thunderstorms even after Melissa cleared to the north.
The hurricane's journey continued as it made landfall in Cuba, bringing winds of up to 120mph and torrential rains. However, its impact was further felt in Haiti, where flash floods and landslides resulted in at least 30 reported deaths.
As Melissa continues to move north-east towards Bermuda and the Bahamas, officials are bracing for potential impacts. In contrast, Cyclone Montha has made landfall in south-east India, causing widespread flooding and damage. Authorities evacuated nearly 40,000 people from low-lying areas ahead of the storm, but rainfall totals of up to 250mm resulted in significant destruction.
The farming sector was particularly badly hit in Andhra Pradesh, with estimated losses totalling $603m. In Vietnam, prolonged torrential rain has led to flooding in homes, farmland, and UNESCO world heritage sites in Hue and Hoi An. At least 10 people have lost their lives, while over 128,000 houses were inundated with water.
Meanwhile, landslides in mountainous regions have blocked roads and passes, leaving drivers stranded. With the storm continuing to move northwards, officials are urging residents to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety.
. I mean, I get it, nature's power is wild and all, but 90% of homes in Jamaica being destroyed? That's just crazy 
. And the fact that Cyclone Montha in India is causing similar destruction on the other side of the world is just mind-boggling 
.
. It's like we're just throwing good money after bad trying to mitigate the damage from these massive storms.
.
i remember when hurricanes were less intense back in my day and we only had to worry about florida 
now they're category 5s and people are losing their lives 
the farming sector is hit hard too, $603m loss is insane 
what's with all these natural disasters nowadays? is it climate change or just bad luck? 
. It's humbling to see how quickly destruction can strike and leave communities reeling 
.
. Neighbors came together to support each other in times of need – that's the kind of strength we should strive for in our daily lives 
.
As we watch these storms make landfall, let's not forget that there's always something we can do to prepare, protect ourselves & our loved ones. It's a harsh reality check, but sometimes it's just what we need 
. And don't even get me started on the flooding in Vietnam - I mean, who needs UNESCO sites when you've got water everywhere? 
At least 30 lives lost already and it's not over yet. The numbers will keep going up as people start to dig out from under all that debris... poor souls 
.
. As a student, it's hard not to think about the impact on education – like, how many schools got damaged or flooded? And what about the students who lost their homes or were forced to evacuate? 
It's heartbreaking to think about all those people affected by these natural disasters 
. We should also be thinking about how we can learn from this experience and work towards more sustainable infrastructure and disaster preparedness measures 
. But India's Cyclone Montha is another story altogether – all those people evacuated ahead of time, that's some serious organization right there 
. 40k people displaced? Wow... and in Vietnam, all these UNESCO sites getting flooded, hope the historical stuff can be restored 
.
. I mean, I'm glad folks are gettin' prepared and evacuated and all that, but can't we just have a break from this cycle of destruction for one sec? 
. The thought of homes being destroyed and families losing their livelihoods is just heartbreaking 
. Can't we just have a peaceful season for once? 
and exploring new places... like, i went to the mountains last summer and it was so beautiful! but then again, have you ever noticed how some storms can be really intense? like, 185mph winds are crazy 
anyway, back to hurricanes... i heard that some areas are getting super flooded and it's causing a lot of problems 
like, why can't we just have nice weather for once? is it too much to ask? 
india's $603m farming losses are huge, i feel for the farmers. and vietnam's flooding is so heartbreaking, 10 lives lost is too much 
. how much more can these places take? and what about the people who lost everything? 
. I feel bad for everyone affected by these storms 
and also, can't help but think of all those people stranded due to landslides 
... hope everyone stays safe & sound 
Cuba's got some serious flooding issues and Haiti's death toll is already 30+. 90% of homes in Jamaica destroyed? That's just devastating 
Been trying to report some spam posts all morning and it just keeps getting stuck in moderation 
️.
. I feel for those affected, especially Jamaica and Haiti, they're still recovering from other tragedies like hurricanes Dorian and Jeanne back in 2019 