What's happened
Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, struck Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba, causing widespread destruction, fatalities, and displacement. Relief efforts are underway, but the damage is extensive, with thousands homeless and critical infrastructure damaged as the storm weakens while moving through the region. Today's date: Fri, 31 Oct 2025 10:45:12 +0000.
What's behind the headline?
The storm's unprecedented strength underscores the growing threat of climate change, which is likely to increase the frequency of such intense hurricanes. The widespread destruction in Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba reveals vulnerabilities in infrastructure and disaster preparedness. The fact that over 735,000 people were evacuated in Cuba and thousands remain sheltered highlights the scale of the response needed. The storm's impact on critical sectors like agriculture and infrastructure will have long-term economic consequences, especially in Haiti, where political instability complicates recovery efforts. The international aid response, including the UK’s support to Jamaica, indicates recognition of the regional crisis, but the extent of damage suggests that recovery will take years. The storm also exposes the importance of resilient infrastructure and early warning systems to mitigate future disasters.
What the papers say
The Times of Israel, Arab News, The Independent, and Al Jazeera all report on Hurricane Melissa's destruction across Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba. The sources agree on the storm's severity, with The Times of Israel and Arab News emphasizing the extensive damage and fatalities, while The Independent and Al Jazeera provide detailed accounts of the response efforts and ongoing recovery challenges. Notably, The Independent highlights the storm's historical strength, tying it to record-breaking Atlantic hurricanes, and discusses the broader climate implications. The reports collectively portray a region in crisis, with urgent humanitarian needs and long-term recovery challenges, emphasizing the storm's significance as a major natural disaster.
How we got here
Melissa, one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record, made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 with winds of 185 mph, tying strength records. It then weakened to Category 3 in Cuba, causing severe flooding and damage. The storm's impact on Haiti has been devastating, with fatalities and destruction of homes, compounded by political instability and ongoing crises in the region. The storm's path and intensity reflect climate patterns of increasing hurricane strength and frequency, especially in the Caribbean.
Go deeper
Common question
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How Strong Was Hurricane Melissa and Which Areas Did It Hit?
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What’s the Latest on Hurricane Melissa’s Impact and Relief Efforts?
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What’s the Current Situation in Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba After Hurricane Melissa?
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More on these topics
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Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti formerly founded as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, to the east of Cuba and Jamaica and south of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos
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Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is a country comprising the island of Cuba as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located in the northern Caribbean where the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean meet.
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Jamaica is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning 10,990 square kilometres in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean.
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Andrew Michael Holness, (born 22 July 1972) is a Jamaican politician who has served as Prime Minister of Jamaica since 3 March 2016, having previously served from 2011 to 2012, and as leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) since 2011.
Holness previousl