Hurricane Melissa sweeps Cuba after killing 25 in Haiti

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.

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