Climate Change Increased Intensity of Hurricane Melissa
Impact on Jamaica
Early on October 28th, Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica's southern coast as a Category 5 storm on the Saffir–Simpson scale. It brought extreme winds, heavy rainfall, and severe storm surges to coastal regions. The hurricane caused widespread destruction and significant disruption to infrastructure, including washed-out roads, damaged water systems, power outages, and communication failures.
At least 28 people have died in Jamaica (Jamaican Government, 2025), and approximately 25,000 residents were displaced, seeking refuge in emergency shelters. As of a week after the hurricane, 6,000 remained in shelters (BBC, 2025).
Effects on Cuba and Neighboring Countries
The storm weakened to a Category 3 hurricane by the next day and made landfall in Cuba, where it caused heavy rain and flooding. In Cuba, 241 communities, representing over 140,000 people, lacked communication access by the end of the week (Reuters, 2025).
Melissa also impacted the Dominican Republic and Haiti. At least 31 fatalities were reported in Haiti, and two deaths confirmed in the Dominican Republic, bringing the total death toll across the affected Caribbean islands to 61 as of November 4, 2025 (BBC, 2025).
Damage to Agriculture and Communities
Agricultural losses were extensive, with many crops destroyed across the region. The storm displaced thousands, forcing them to take refuge in emergency shelters and significantly challenging the adaptation capacity of these countries.
“At least 28 people have been confirmed dead in Jamaica at the time of writing (Jamaican Government, 2025), with at least another 31 fatalities reported in Haiti and two confirmed deaths in the Dominican Republic,” said BBC (2025).
Author’s summary: Hurricane Melissa, intensified by climate change, caused devastating damage and loss of life in Jamaica, Cuba, and neighboring Caribbean nations, testing local adaptation limits.