Communities across the northern Caribbean are reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa on Friday after the storm left a trail of devastation as it tore through the region as one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record.
The hurricane brought torrential rains and damaging winds, which left hundreds of thousands without power, destroyed homes and scattered fields with debris. Though rescue and recovery operations were underway, efforts continued to be hindered by widespread power outages and blocked roads.
Friday morning, Melissa barreled away from Bermuda after making its closest approach at about 2 a.m. ET, reaching about 200 miles north-northwest from land as a Category 1 storm with hurricane-force wind gusts reaching Bermuda, the National Hurricane Center said. By 5 a.m., Melissa was packing 90 mph winds and retreating to the northeast at 41 mph.
In Jamaica, local authorities said crews and residents were working to assist with relief support. Desmond McKenzie, the country's minister of local government and community development, previously said over 170 communities across six parishes were moderately or severely affected by the storm.
"The entire Jamaica is really broken because of what has happened, but we remain resilient," said Jamaican Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information Dana Dixon on Thursday. "We will get there... we are going to get to every single Jamaican and give them support.”
