Hurricane Melissa continues to batter Cuba on Wednesday (October 29), weakening to a Category 2 storm after devastating Jamaica and leaving at least 25 people dead in Haiti, officials said.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported sustained winds of 105 mph (165 kph) as the storm moved north-northeast at 14 mph (22 kph).
The hurricane’s centre was located about 45 miles (70 km) northwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, and 205 miles (335 km) south of the central Bahamas.
Cuban authorities said hundreds of thousands of residents had been evacuated to shelters, with hurricane warnings issued for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguín, and Las Tunas provinces, as well as parts of the southeastern and central Bahamas.
The NHC warned that preparations in the Bahamas “should be rushed to completion,” as Melissa continued its northward path.
In Haiti, local officials confirmed widespread flooding and destruction. Jean Bertrand Subrème, mayor of Petit-Goâve, said the La Digue river burst its banks, sweeping through nearby homes and killing at least 25 people.
“I am overwhelmed by the situation,” he said, urging the government to send emergency assistance. Dozens of homes were destroyed, and rescue workers continued to search for survivors trapped under rubble.
In Jamaica, authorities described extensive damage after Melissa made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane with record wind speeds of 185 mph (295 kph) — among the strongest Atlantic storms on record.
Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon said 77% of the island remained without power on Wednesday, though water systems were largely intact.
More than 25,000 people were sheltering in evacuation centres across Jamaica, as Prime Minister Andrew Holness prepared to survey the worst-hit regions, including St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Westmoreland, and St. James.
Hurricane Melissa has been one of the most powerful and destructive storms in recent Caribbean history, causing catastrophic flooding, power outages, and large-scale displacement across Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba.
Cuban emergency services continue to assess the full extent of the damage as rescue efforts intensify in affected areas.
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuw...
The bodies of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and members of his household killed in Israeli–U.S. air raids were laid to...
At least 28 people have died after a fire tore through a shoe factory in southeastern China, trapping hundreds of workers inside the multi-storey buil...
At least 28 people have died after a fire tore through a shoe factory in southeastern China, trapping hundreds of workers inside the multi-storey building. Authorities said more than 200 people escaped, while others were unable to get out before the blaze spread.
Hundreds of Palestinians gathered in Gaza to mourn Mohammad al-Waheidi, an aid worker remembered for bringing rare moments of happiness to families displaced by war by organising public screenings of World Cup matches.
Azerbaijan should unlock the full potential of its tourism sector to drive long-term economic growth, diversify its economy and create jobs as reliance on hydrocarbons declines, the World Bank has said.
The South Caucasus is increasingly being viewed not only through the lens of past conflicts but also as a strategic bridge linking Europe, the Caspian region and Central Asia. One analyst says this presents an opportunity for a new Euro-Atlantic approach focused on long-term regional cooperation.
It has been a punishing week for large parts of China, and forecasters warn the worst may not be over. After Typhoon Maysak left a trail of destruction and at least 23 people dead, Super Typhoon Bavi is now threatening the country's eastern coast.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was "over", adding he did not want to engage with Tehran, calling the Iranian leadership "sick people".
The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has risen to 3,811, according to figures released by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez on Wednesday.
Typhoon Bavi churned southeast of Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, its winds easing overnight to just shy of 200 kph (124 mph), as authorities urged residents to stock up on supplies and brace for what could be the most powerful typhoon since 2024.
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war.
China's technology sector is producing billion-dollar startups at its fastest pace in nearly five years, with artificial intelligence and robotics driving a new wave of investment that is reshaping the country's innovation economy.
At least 28 people have died after a fire tore through a shoe factory in southeastern China, trapping hundreds of workers inside the multi-storey building. Authorities said more than 200 people escaped, while others were unable to get out before the blaze spread.
It has been a punishing week for large parts of China, and forecasters warn the worst may not be over. After Typhoon Maysak left a trail of destruction and at least 23 people dead, Super Typhoon Bavi is now threatening the country's eastern coast.
Western Europe experienced its hottest June since records began in 2026, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The record-breaking month brought extreme heat, widespread disruption and thousands of excess deaths across parts of the continent.
South Korea's Supreme Court has upheld former President Yoon Suk Yeol's seven-year prison sentence in a case linked to his 2024 attempt to impose martial law.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment