At least 49 people have died after Hurricane Melissa swept across the northern Caribbean, bringing torrential rains, severe flooding, and power outages before accelerating toward Bermuda, according to regional authorities and meteorological agencies.

RELATED:

Cuba declares recovery phase in three provinces after the passage of Hurricane Melissa

Haiti suffered the heaviest impact, enduring days of relentless rainfall as the slow-moving storm lingered over the island. Officials reported at least 30 deaths and 20 people missing. In the southern city of Petit-Goâve, a river overflowed its banks, killing 23 residents, including ten children.

Jamaican authorities confirmed more than ten fatalities and said search and rescue operations remain underway in several affected areas. The hurricane left hundreds of thousands of people without electricity, tore roofs from buildings, and scattered debris across farmland and coastal communities.

In Cuba, civil defense officials reported no loss of life and said recovery efforts were already underway. The island has entered a reconstruction phase after the storm passed without major casualties.

Meteorological agencies said Melissa strengthened as it moved northward, maintaining hurricane-force winds while leaving a trail of destruction across the Caribbean. The storm’s rapid intensification and erratic path underscored the growing vulnerability of island nations to extreme weather events linked to climate change.

IN THIS ARTICLE