The hurricane has passed through Jamaica and left behind extensive damage. It has now hit Cuba, the US National Hurricane Center reports.
The article is being updated continuously.
In Jamaica, authorities are trying to get a full picture of the extent of the damage after the hurricane devastated Tuesday.
The AFP news agency describes the hurricane as the most powerful to hit land in 90 years, according to NRK.
- It looked like a scene from an apocalypse movie, said a member of parliament in Jamaica to the newspaper The Jamaica Gleaner, BBC writes.
The British Red Cross says early indications are that Hurricane Melissa was an unprecedented disaster for the island. Several humanitarian organizations are working to secure essential supplies for the island, the BBC reports.
This is what it looked like when the hurricane hit Treasure Beach in southwestern Jamaica
The winds were intense when the hurricane hit the city.
After the hurricane, there was extensive destruction in Treasure Beach.
A car ends up in a flooded river. People try to rescue their furniture from their houses.
As large parts of the country are still without power, it is difficult to obtain information. It is now night in the country. When the sun rises, the extent of the destruction will become clearer.
"Reports so far indicate that we have damage to hospitals, significant damage to homes, commercial buildings and roads," Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness told CNN after the storm passed through the island.
Videos on X show extensive destruction in the Black River.
This is what the main street in Black River looks like.
This is what the church in Black River looked like.
Now the church is almost completely destroyed.
– A very difficult night
On Wednesday morning, Melissa reached the east coast of southern Cuba with winds of 195 kilometers per hour. It was then considered a Category 3 hurricane.
It has now been downgraded to Category 2 with wind speeds of 169 kilometers per hour, according to CNN.
As it makes landfall, the hurricane is described as extremely dangerous by the US National Hurricane Center.
– It is going to be a very difficult night for all of Cuba, writes President Miguel Díaz-Canel on X.
The winds are strongest at the eye of the storm. Up to 45 kilometers from the center of the storm, the winds are now hurricane force, which is over 118 kilometers per hour.
St. Elizabeth Parish, located on Jamaica's southwest coast, was under water last night, Reuters reports. In the Clarendon region, which is home to around 250,000 people, there are reports of extensive damage.
On the island's north side, Montego Bay Mayor Richard Vernon tells BBC Breakfast that one half of the city, in the northwest of Jamaica, is cut off from the other by floodwaters.
The first thing they need to do now is check that everyone is alive, says Vernon. He adds that so far they have not received any reports of injuries or deaths.
The main airport in the capital Kingston may remain closed for another 24 hours before aid shipments can begin landing, writes BBC.
Extreme in Vietnam
Extreme weather is also ravaging Vietnam. On Monday evening, a new rainfall record was set with 1.7 meters of rain in one day.
At least nine people have died and five people are missing, Reuters reports.
The popular tourist towns of Hue and Hoi An have been hit hard. Over 100,000 houses have been flooded, mainly in these cities.
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THE WORLD
Published:
October 26
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Published:
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THE WORLD
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- Jamaica
- Cuba
- Extreme weather
