Hurricane Melissa’s savage roar has faded, but its scars scar the Caribbean: Flooded villages, shattered homes, and a grim tally nearing 30 lives lost across Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, and beyond. As the Category 2 beast churns toward Bermuda, the U.S. is surging dozens of elite relief crews into the fray—urban search teams from L.A. and Virginia, plus Disaster Assistance Response Teams from D.C., Miami, and Costa Rica—to spearhead recovery in Jamaica, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic.
The Storm’s Grim Harvest: 29 Confirmed Dead, Devastation Deepens
Melissa, one of the Atlantic’s fiercest in 150 years, slammed Jamaica as a Category 5 Tuesday with 185 mph winds, then battered Cuba as a Category 3 before drenching Haiti and the Bahamas. The toll:
- Haiti: 23 dead, 13 missing—mostly from La Digue River floods that swept away families, including 10 children. Port-au-Prince streets became rivers; 160+ homes swamped.
- Jamaica: 5 bodies recovered, but Black River’s eyewall-ravaged parishes report roofless hospitals, toppled poles, and 25,000 tourists initially trapped—now trickling out via reopening airports. Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett: “All accounted for; relief flights inbound.”
- Cuba: No direct fatalities yet, but Santiago de Cuba’s eastern hills are a debris-choked maze—735,000 sheltered, roads blocked, power out. President Miguel Díaz-Canel: “Devastation enormous; recovery starts now.”
- Dominican Republic & Bahamas: 1 death in DR; Bahamas braces for outer bands, with Long Island videos showing gale-lashed coasts.
Climate experts at Imperial College London: Warming made Melissa 4x more likely, 12% fiercer—fueling calls for rich-nation reparations. Salvation Army’s already in Jamaica and Cuba, urging shelter; offline apps like Bitchat keep blacked-out communities connected.
US Response: Boots on Ground, No Excuses
State Department insiders, speaking anonymously, vow a “robust, efficient” push—teams touching down in 24–48 hours to aid Haiti from Dominican bases. Needs: Hygiene kits, tents, sanitation gear, food—from Miami warehouses and NGO stashes.
Shutdown snags? Nah—essential staff furlough-proof. USAID’s gutting? “Not a hurdle,” officials insist; local contracts cover rescuers. Secretary Marco Rubio tweeted: “Coordinating with Jamaica, Haiti, DR, Bahamas—rescue teams en route.”
Pentagon’s SOUTHCOM eyes airlifts to remote spots, with Col. Manny Ortiz prepping a situational assessment squad: “Life-saving aid first; scale TBD.” Ironic backdrop: Trump’s narco-crackdown has the USS Gerald R. Ford and eight warships already patrolling—unaffected by winds, now potential relief haulers.
Americans in Peril: 8,000+ Registered, Evac on Hold
Roughly 5,000 in Jamaica, 3,200 in Bahamas via Smart Traveler—voluntary, so totals fuzzy. No mass evac yet; officials bet on commercial flights once ports revive. “Most can self-exit,” they say.
Beyond the Winds: A Cry for Resilience
Aerial shots from Jamaica’s St. Elizabeth Parish—once lush, now a splintered tableau—break hearts: “Heartbreaking,” one X user posted. In Santiago, a rescued Cuban: “We’re alive!”—hope amid the havoc.
Melissa’s name? Likely retired come 2026—too deadly. As aid flows and rebuilds begin, the Caribbean’s call: From prayer vigils to global coffers, turn fury into fortitude.
Souce: Apnews.com
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