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On Oct. 28, 2025, Hurricane Melissa ripped done the Caribbean, slamming into Jamaica arsenic a almighty Category 5 hurricane and 1 of the strongest storms to ever signifier successful the Atlantic.
The tempest tied the grounds for the strongest hurricane successful the history of the Atlantic, leaving utter devastation and heartbreak successful its wake.
This animated outer representation provides a look astatine catastrophic Category 5 Hurricane Melissa arsenic it approached Jamaica.
(FOX Weather)
At slightest 93 radical died from Melissa's impacts crossed the Caribbean.
Melissa's archetypal landfall
It made landfall adjacent New Hope, Jamaica, causing demolition successful its aftermath arsenic it barreled done the land country.
Melissa was the strongest and costliest hurricane to ever deed Jamaica, causing an estimated $12.2 cardinal successful harm to the nation.
BEFORE AND AFTER SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWCASES EXTENSIVE HURRICANE MELISSA DESTRUCTION IN JAMAICA
Storm surge accompanied 185 mph winds and astir 3 feet of rainfall successful immoderate places successful Jamaica.
Flooded homes are seen aft the transition of Hurricane Melissa successful Howard Acres neighbourhood successful St. Elizabeth, Jamaica connected October 29, 2025. Hurricane Melissa ripped up trees and knocked retired powerfulness aft making landfall successful Jamaica connected October 28, 2025 arsenic 1 of the astir almighty hurricanes connected record, inundating the land federation with rains that endanger flash floods and landslides.
((Photo by Ricardo MAKYN / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
FOX Weather Senior Correspondent Robert Ray was successful Jamaica for the landfall of the storm, watching the demolition unfold successful existent time.
Damage extended crossed the island, with homes flattened and roofs ripped off. Thousands of Jamaicans were displaced, losing their homes and everything they owned to the storm.
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Schools, hospitals, nationalist offices, airports, roads and bridges were each impacted by Melissa.
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An aerial presumption shows damaged buildings successful the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa successful Middle Quarters, St Elizabeth, Jamaica, connected October 31, 2025. At slightest 19 radical successful Jamaica person died arsenic a effect of Hurricane Melissa which devastated the land federation erstwhile it roared ashore this week, a authorities curate told quality outlets precocious October 31. (Photo by Ricardo Makyn / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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A pistillate lies on a plaza aft her location was destroyed by Hurricane Melissa successful Lacovia, St Elizabeth, Jamaica, connected October 31, 2025. At slightest 19 radical successful Jamaica person died arsenic a effect of Hurricane Melissa which devastated the land federation erstwhile it roared ashore this week, a authorities curate told quality outlets precocious October 31. (Photo by Ricardo Makyn / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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An aerial presumption shows destroyed buildings pursuing the transition of Hurricane Melissa successful Black River, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, connected October 29, 2025. Hurricane Melissa bore down connected the Bahamas October 29 aft cutting a way of demolition done the Caribbean, leaving 30 radical dormant oregon missing successful Haiti and parts of Jamaica and Cuba successful ruins. Somewhat weakened but inactive threatening, Melissa volition bring damaging winds and flooding rains to the Bahamas Wednesday earlier moving connected to Bermuda precocious Thursday, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). (Photo by Ricardo Makyn / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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An aerial presumption shows destroyed buildings pursuing the transition of Hurricane Melissa successful Black River, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, connected October 29, 2025. Hurricane Melissa bore down connected the Bahamas October 29 aft cutting a way of demolition done the Caribbean, leaving 30 radical dormant oregon missing successful Haiti and parts of Jamaica and Cuba successful ruins. Somewhat weakened but inactive threatening, Melissa volition bring damaging winds and flooding rains to the Bahamas Wednesday earlier moving connected to Bermuda precocious Thursday, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). (Photo by Ricardo Makyn / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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An aerial presumption of destroyed buildings pursuing the transition of Hurricane Melissa, successful Black River, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica connected October 29, 2025. Hurricane Melissa bore down connected the Bahamas October 29 aft cutting a way of demolition done the Caribbean, leaving 30 radical dormant oregon missing successful Haiti and parts of Jamaica and Cuba successful ruins. Somewhat weakened but inactive threatening, Melissa volition bring damaging winds and flooding rains to the Bahamas Wednesday earlier moving connected to Bermuda precocious Thursday, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). (Photo by Ricardo MAKYN / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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A damaged car by a fallen histrion is seen aft the transition of Hurricane Melissa successful Manchester, Jamaica, connected October 28, 2025. Hurricane Melissa ripped up trees and knocked retired powerfulness aft making landfall successful Jamaica connected October 28, 2025 arsenic 1 of the astir almighty hurricanes connected record, inundating the land federation with rains that endanger flash floods and landslides. (Photo by Ricardo Makyn / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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A location with a damaged extortion is seen aft the transition of Hurricane Melissa successful Manchester, Jamaica, connected October 28, 2025. Hurricane Melissa ripped up trees and knocked retired powerfulness aft making landfall successful Jamaica connected October 28, 2025 arsenic 1 of the astir almighty hurricanes connected record, inundating the land federation with rains that endanger flash floods and landslides. (Photo by Ricardo Makyn / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
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Drone video of Hurricane Melissa Damage successful Montego Bay, Jamaica ( )
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An aerial presumption of damaged buildings astir the St. John's Anglican Church pursuing the transition of Hurricane Melissa, successful Black River, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica connected October 29, 2025. Hurricane Melissa bore down connected the Bahamas October 29 aft cutting a way of demolition done the Caribbean, leaving 30 radical dormant oregon missing successful Haiti and parts of Jamaica and Cuba successful ruins. Somewhat weakened but inactive threatening, Melissa volition bring damaging winds and flooding rains to the Bahamas Wednesday earlier moving connected to Bermuda precocious Thursday, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). (Photo by Ricardo MAKYN / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
At slightest 45 radical died arsenic a effect of Hurricane Melissa's unit connected Jamaica.
As it moved done Jamaica, the tempest weakened to a Category 3, concisely restrengthening to a Category 4 and weakening erstwhile again to a Category 3 arsenic it barreled toward Cuba.
Devastation successful Cuba
Melissa made landfall adjacent Chivirico, Santiago de Cuba little than a time aft devastating Jamaica.
Rain totals adjacent Cuba's landfall ranged from 12 to 19 inches, with the highest reported full implicit 26 inches astatine Vega Murcia, Cuba.
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Melissa caused sizeable damage, flooding and catastrophic landslides crossed eastbound Cuba.
TOPSHOT - Men salvage belongings from the rubble of her their location aft it collapsed during Hurricane Melissa's transition done Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, connected October 29, 2025.
( Yamil LAGE / AFP / Getty Images)
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said streets were covered successful debris, with uprooted trees, roofs disconnected houses and flooding of full towns, with implicit 900,000 homes damaged oregon destroyed.
After passing done Cuba, Melissa acceptable sights connected the Bahamas.
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Damage successful the Bahamas
Melissa weakened to a Category 2 aft its demolition successful Cuba, weakening again to a Category 1 arsenic it made 2 landfalls successful the Bahamas.
The archetypal landfall occurred connected Long Island successful the Bahamas astatine 6:15 p.m. ET connected Oct. 29.
Melissa humanities way done the Caribbean.
(FOX Weather)
The 2nd landfall happened a fewer hours aboriginal connected San Salvador Island successful the Bahamas, inactive arsenic a Category 1 hurricane.
Hurricane-force winds, flooding and dense rainfall were reported crossed chiefly the southeastern portions of the Bahamas, according to the NHC.
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Melissa and Haiti
Though Haiti ne'er saw a landfall from Hurricane Melissa, the state faced the highest rainfall totals from the system.
Rain totals ranged from 8 to 20 inches, with 1 determination reporting much than 36 inches.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI - OCTOBER 28: Insecurity continues to reign successful downtown Port-au-Prince, wherever clashes betwixt constabulary and equipped gangs are connected the emergence successful Port-au-Prince, Haiti, connected October 28, 2025.
(Guerinault Louis/Anadolu / Getty Images)
Widespread freshwater flooding overtook the island, and tens of thousands of residents were forced to permission their homes, galore sheltering successful schools and nationalist buildings, the NHC said.
Thousands of homes were damaged oregon destroyed, roads and bridges were washed out, isolating respective areas and hindering alleviation operations.
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In Haiti, 43 radical died from Melissa's impacts.
TOPSHOT - Children locomotion done a flooded thoroughfare successful the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, successful Petit-Goave, astir 68 km (42 miles) southwest of Port-au-Prince, connected October 31, 2025.
(Clarens SIFFROY / AFP / Getty Images)
Other nations successful the Caribbean saw beardown winds and flooding from Melissa.
Power outages and flooding were the superior issues successful places similar the Dominican Republic.
Recovery post-Melissa continued for months successful adjacent the least-impacted areas crossed the Caribbean.
Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba proceed to rebuild and retrieve a twelvemonth later.
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