Hurricane Melissa devastates Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba; at least 28 dead

People throughout the northern Caribbean are beginning to recover from the destruction of Hurricane Melissaas deaths from the catastrophic storm rose to at least 28 in Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, with Haiti reporting the majority of those deaths. On Thursday, Melissa was moving away from the Bahamas and turning toward Bermuda, where it is expected to pass later in the day, according to the National Hurricane Center.

In Jamaica, the roar of big machinery, the grinding of chainsaws and the slashing of machetes echoed across the Southeast as government workers and residents began clearing roads in an effort to reach isolated communities that suffered a direct hit from one of the most powerful Atlantic storms ever recorded.

Stunned residents wandered around, some staring at their roofless homes and their soaked belongings strewn around them.

Emergency relief flights began landing at Jamaica’s main international airport, which reopened Wednesday night, as crews distributed water, food and other basic supplies.

“The devastation is enormous,” said Jamaican Transport Minister Daryl Vaz.

Some Jamaicans wondered where they would live.

“Now I’m homeless, but I have to have hope because I have life,” said Sheryl Smith, who lost the roof of her house.

Authorities said they found at least four bodies in southwestern Jamaica.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said up to 90% of roofs in the southwest coastal community of Black River were destroyed.

“Black River is what would be described as ground zero,” he said. “People are still coming to terms with the destruction.”

More than 25,000 people remained crammed into shelters across the western half of Jamaica, with 77% of the island without electricity.

Haiti very affected

Melissa also unleashed catastrophic flooding in Haiti, where at least 23 people were reported dead and another 13 missing, mainly in the southern region of the country. Another 17 people were injured, authorities said.

Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency said Hurricane Melissa killed at least 20 people in Petit-Goâve, including 10 children. It also damaged more than 160 homes and destroyed another 80.

Authorities warned that 152 disabled people in the southern region of Haiti needed emergency food assistance. More than 11,600 people remained sheltered in Haiti because of the storm.

The cleaning of Cuba begins

In Cuba, people began clearing blocked roads and paths with heavy equipment and even requested help from the army, which rescued people trapped in isolated communities and at risk of landslides.

No fatalities were reported after the Civil Defense evacuated more than 735,000 people throughout eastern Cuba. Little by little they began to return home.

“We are cleaning the streets, clearing the way,” said Yaima Almenares, a physical education teacher in the city of Santiago, as she and other neighbors swept branches and debris from sidewalks and avenues, cut down fallen logs and removed accumulated trash.

In more rural areas outside the city of Santiago de Cuba, water continued to pool in vulnerable homes Wednesday night as residents returned from their shelters to save beds, mattresses, chairs, tables and fans they had raised before the storm.

A televised Civil Defense meeting chaired by President Miguel Díaz-Canel did not provide an official estimate of the damage. However, officials from the affected provinces (Santiago, Granma, Holguín, Guantánamo and Las Tunas) reported losses of roofs, power lines, fiber optic cables for telecommunications, road closures, isolated communities and losses of banana, cassava and coffee plantations.

Officials said the rain was beneficial for reservoirs and easing a severe drought in eastern Cuba.

Many communities were still without electricity, internet or phone service due to downed transformers and power lines.

When Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane with maximum winds of 185 mph on Tuesday, it tied records for the strength of landfalling Atlantic hurricanes in both wind speed and barometric pressure. It was still a Category 3 hurricane when it made landfall again in eastern Cuba early Wednesday.

Melissa isn’t done yet

A hurricane warning was in effect early Thursday for Bermuda when Melissa began heading there, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Heavy rain and gusty winds hit the central and southeastern Bahamas early Thursday, the NHC said.

Melissa was a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds near 105 mph and was moving north-northeast at 21 mph, the center added.

“Melissa is expected to pass northwest of Bermuda later today and tonight,” the NHC said Thursday. “Slight strengthening is possible today before weakening is likely to begin on Friday. Tropical storm conditions will begin in Bermuda later today, and hurricane conditions are expected there tonight.”