Hurricane Melissa kills 44 as it moves north toward Bermuda

The confirmed death toll from Hurricane Melissa rose to 44 as the storm pushed north after tearing through parts of the northern Caribbean. Authorities reported at least 19 deaths in Jamaica and 25 in Haiti, where flooding wrecked homes and cut key roads. Jamaica’s military called reserve personnel to assist relief efforts as widespread power outages persisted and more than 130 roads remained blocked.

AccuWeather estimated the economic toll at $48–$52 billion. Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5—the island’s strongest direct hit on record—before crossing eastern Cuba, where about 735,000 people evacuated. No deaths were reported in Cuba, though damage to homes and crops was extensive. Bermuda braced for deteriorating conditions as the system tracked nearby, with authorities closing the causeway and suspending schools and ferries as a precaution.

In Haiti, a burst river swept away sections of a national highway near Petit-Goâve, compounding isolation in several communities. In Jamaica, long queues formed for fuel and supplies; residents described waist-high floodwaters rising quickly. The storm’s slow movement magnified destruction across the region, with scientists noting that warmer seas are making hurricanes intensify faster and more often.