Black River, Jamaica – Hurricane Melissa, a record-shattering Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 180-200 mph, struck near Black River in St. Elizabeth parish on October 28, 2025, around 8 PM local time. The storm’s painfully slow 5 mph forward speed dumped 200-300 mm of rain in 24 hours, turning the coastal town into a flooded wasteland and overwhelming the Black River Police Station, which sheltered over 50 evacuees amid the chaos.

The station and surrounding streets were submerged under one to two meters of debris-filled water. Collapsed walls, uprooted fences, and wrecked vehicles, including SUVs pinned by fallen beams, littered the area. Nearby blocks, including the local hospital, sustained heavy structural damage, halting operations and forcing patient relocations via SRHA ambulances. Trees stripped of bark reflected wind gusts exceeding 200 mph, while the Santa Cruz Bypass washed out, leaving hundreds stranded.

At least four deaths were confirmed in Jamaica, part of over 30 across the Caribbean, including 20+ in Haiti from overflowing rivers. Dozens were rescued from rooftops, while police logged 19 incidents and firefighters responded to 10 calls for entrapments and hypothermia amid widespread power outages. Mayor Richard Solomon described conditions as “catastrophic,” while Prime Minister Andrew Holness toured the wreckage on October 29, pledging aid.

Western parishes bore the brunt of Melissa’s fury, rivaling Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 but worsened by record ocean warmth. By October 30, relief efforts from the US, UK, and CARICOM focused on southern rebuilds, with warnings of landslides and disease risks in saturated soils. Jamaica declared a national disaster, activating more than 50 shelters and establishing GoFundMes for recovery.

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