Jamaica Is in Recovery Mode Now That Hurricane Melissa Has Moved Out of the Region

The end of October 2025 brought devastation to Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa made landfall as a record-breaking Category 5 storm. The hurricane barreled across the western side of the island, leaving catastrophic damage in its wake, as it weakened slightly before turning its sights on other islands in the Caribbean, including Cuba, the Bahamas, and more.

However, there's no denying that Jamaica saw the worst of the storm, which saw sustained wind speeds of 185 miles per hour.

The record-breaking storm caused catastrophic damage, which many outside of the island were only able to see after the clouds literally cleared following the storm.

So, what does Jamaica look like after Hurricane Melissa? Keep reading to learn the latest about the condition of the island, including the rising death toll that seems to tick a little bit higher every time rescuers are able to access the more heavily damaged parts of the island that remained cut off after the storm.

In the days leading up to Hurricane Melissa's landfall, experts warned that the island would likely be forever changed after the storm made its way across Jamaica. In fact, some experts said that the path of the eye would create a swath of destruction similar to what you'd expect to see following a tornado.

After reports began coming out of Jamaica, it was clear that those predictions weren't too far off.

From the destruction of the West Coast's most prolific international airport to the loss of public utilities like electricity and water, the beloved island hardly resembles what it looked like prior to the storm.

According to ABC News, about 500,000 people on the island were without power on Oct. 30, 2025, and 13,000 remained in shelters. The Prime Minister took a tour of the island via helicopter once conditions improved, which is when he discovered that Black River was mostly destroyed.

Despite being the hardest hit area — initial reports indicate that approximately 90 percent of all buildings in Black River and St. Elizabeth had experienced some sort of damage — it was far from the only place touched by the storm. Several coastal areas of the island saw storm surges of 13 feet, prompting the Prime Minister to declare the whole country a disaster area.

Even with things as dire as they are, it doesn't exactly sound like help is on the way, since many of the country's local response and rescue teams, like local police and fire, were also taken out during the storm.

Additionally, many of the country's communication systems remained disabled in the days following the storm.

Experts warn that we'll be receiving updated numbers on the storm's death toll for a while due to the severity and extent of the destruction. However, as of Nov. 1, 2025, numbers had already started trickling in, with an estimated total death toll reaching 60 in the first few days after the storm.

In Jamaica, that number is estimated at 28, according to the BBC. Jamaica's Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, also shared that "reports of possible fatalities still being verified," so the figure is expected to rise.