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Hurricanes

Catastrophic Hurricane Melissa Makes Landfall in Jamaica, Warning of Severe and Immediate Threat

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Millions in Jamaica and across the Caribbean are bracing for massive impact from Hurricane Melissa on Tuesday as the UN and partners warn of a "severe" and "immediate" threat. With sustained winds of 280 kilometers per hour and heavy rains expected to bring three times the normal amount of precipitation for a rainy month in Jamaica, the category 5 system threatens to cause "total structural failure" and catastrophic flash flooding and landslides. The IFRC's Head of Delegation for the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, Necephor Mghendi, warned that the humanitarian threat is severe and immediate, with many families still rebuilding from the impacts of Hurricane Beryl last year.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hurricane Melissa is expected to make landfall in Jamaica as a category 5 system, with sustained winds of 280 kilometers per hour and heavy rains that will bring three times the normal amount of precipitation for a rainy month in Jamaica.
  • The IFRC's Head of Delegation for the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, Necephor Mghendi, warned that the humanitarian threat is severe and immediate, with many families still rebuilding from the impacts of Hurricane Beryl last year.
  • Total structural failure is likely, according to Anne-Claire Fontan, a tropical cyclone specialist with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
  • The storm is expected to cause catastrophic flash flooding, landslides, and storm surge, with a three to four meter high surge expected on the southern coast of Jamaica.
  • The IFRC has prepositioned supplies for 800 households in Jamaica, and is working with volunteers to distribute relief items and reinforce early warning messages.
  • The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has activated an anticipatory mechanism in Cuba and Haiti, triggering a $4 million allocation from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

Statistics:

  • Sustained winds: 280 kilometers per hour
  • Heavy rainfall expected: three times the normal amount of precipitation for a rainy month in Jamaica
  • Storm surge: three to four meters high on the southern coast of Jamaica
  • Number of households with prepositioned supplies: 800
  • Total allocation from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF): $4 million
  • Number of households that can be delivered supplies to Jamaica and other countries like the Bahamas "within four hours": 60,000

Sources:

  • M2 PressWIRE, "Catastrophic' Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica (C)1994-2025 M2 COMMUNICATIONS RDATE:29102025"
  • World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
  • International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
  • United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
  • United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)

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