Hurricane Melissa's Devastation: A Caribbean Catastrophe

Hurricane Melissa brought chaos to the Caribbean, unleashing fatal floods in Haiti and causing unprecedented devastation in Jamaica, where it became the strongest hurricane to directly hit. With Jamaica suffering an estimated $22 billion in damage, recovery efforts face significant challenges.

In Haiti, flooded rivers caused 25 fatalities, as communities remained cut off due to gang conflicts and insufficient relief supplies. As residents grappled with displacement, the impact of the hurricane exacerbated existing struggles, prompting urgent calls for timely aid and support.

Cuba braced for the storm as a Category 3 hurricane, issuing mass evacuations. Although no fatalities were reported, the storm severely impacted infrastructure and crops. Leaders across the region urged global responses to climate change, highlighting the dire need for the U.N.'s "loss and damage" fund to address rapid intensification driven by warming oceans.