Hurricane Melissa, classified as one of the most powerful cyclones ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, made landfall in southwest Jamaica on Tuesday afternoon, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

The storm, which reached Category 5 status and generated extreme winds, torrential rain, and storm surge, tested the Jamaican authorities' response systems.

Images captured by residents and local media starkly show the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, which devastated the southwest of the island.

Visual records show cars swept away by the current, roads covered in debris, and rural areas isolated by flooded rivers.

In communities like New Hope, residents recorded relentless rain and winds uprooting ancient trees, breaking up asphalt and blocking access to entire communities.

One of the most widely viewed videos in Jamaican media captured the moment a home's roof was thrown onto a power line.

Other records show rocks and mud cascading down hillsides, cutting off roads and threatening homes already weakened by the rains.

The disaster wasn't only visible in the cities. On the southern coast, drone cameras revealed vast swathes of devastated crops and domestic animals searching for solid ground, while volunteers and rescuers struggled to reach completely isolated areas.

Videos taken near hospitals showed medical teams and patients rushing to seek shelter.

The Jamaican government, on high alert since early Monday, had warned that Melissa's impact would be devastating.

“There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5 storm,” Prime Minister Andrew Holness admitted to international media.

Jamaican Civil Defense officials urged residents to seek shelter and urged them to avoid unnecessary travel.

“Jamaica, this is not the time to be brave,” emphasized Desmond McKenzie, vice president of the Jamaica Disaster Risk Management Council.

Health Minister Christopher Tufton said patients had to be evacuated from coastal hospitals due to the threat of storm surges of up to four metres in height.

Official reports revealed a power outage that left more than 240,000 users without electricity and nearly a quarter of the telecommunications system out of service, complicating emergency operations.

The Mercy Corps organization, which operates in several regions of the island, reported that many families remained in their homes during the hurricane and described a night marked by incessant thunder and widespread fear.

“The noise is relentless. People are nervous and just trying to hold on until the storm passes,” said Colin Bogle from Portmore, south of the capital.

In total, Melissa has already caused seven deaths in the Caribbean – three in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic – in addition to leaving severe structural damage, hundreds of evacuees and rural communities isolated.

While Jamaican authorities are mobilizing to assess damage and deploy crews, the threat from Melissa has not dissipated.

The hurricane continues its path toward Cuba, where mass evacuations and contingency plans are already underway in anticipation of a cyclone of historic intensity.