Hurricane Melissa heads toward Cuba as a powerful storm, after hitting Jamaica with historic force

“We’re watching it closely, and we’re prepared to move,” President Donald Trump said.

Trump marveled at the storm’s strength.

“I’ve never seen that before. I guess it can get that high, but I’ve never seen it,” he said.

The Miami Heat has donated $1 million to the humanitarian organization Direct Relief to assist with Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts, according to an NBA statement.

The donation is being made in partnership with the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation and Carnival Corporation & plc. The three organizations have given more than $17 million to Direct Relief’s crisis response since 2013.

“In Florida, we are all too familiar with the widespread devastation caused by a Category 5 storm,” Eric Woolworth, president of The Heat Group’s business operations, said in a statement. “Direct Relief provides life-saving and ongoing assistance, which is so critical as residents begin the long road to rebuilding their communities.”

”Direct Relief will help sustain healthcare access after the storm and support Jamaica health facilities, many of which are in coastal and low-lying areas,” a spokesperson for the nonprofit told The Associated Press.

▶ Read more about how to help those impacted here

Jamaican officials warned against going outside during Hurricane Melissa, but curiosity got the better of a few teens who had never experienced the wrath of such a ferocious storm.

“I’ve never seen a Category 5 storm, so I couldn’t help but imagine what it must be like,” 15-year-old Gavin Fuller said. Despite being told by his parents not to go outside, he went anyway.

“I wanted to know what it feels like to stand in the eye of something so powerful,” he said.

His home in Portmore, St. Catherine, was not in the direct path of the hurricane, but the tropical storm-force winds were enough to pique his interest.

His neighbor, Demario Smith, joined him in the whipping winds.

“Yes, I do believe that the storm is dangerous, but I just wanted to see for myself what it is doing. Feel how powerful the wind is blowing,” the 16-year-old shared, admitting that his parents were not happy with his actions.

Melissa has top sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph) and was moving north-northeast at 8 mph (13 kph) through the Caribbean Sea, according to the latest advisory from the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

The hurricane was centered about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east-northeast of Montego Bay, Jamaica, and about 160 miles (260 kilometers) southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba.

The president of the Provincial Defense Council and first secretary of the Cuban Communist Party in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba, Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, said that some 281,000 people have already been evacuated and taken to 101 evacuation centers in that region or are staying with neighbors or relatives.

Some low-lying or coastal communities have been completely evacuated, with only the personnel in charge of safeguarding property remaining.

Of the 16 reservoirs managed by the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources in the province, five are discharging water, with 78% of their capacity accumulated in anticipation of heavy downpours.

Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council, noted that extensive damage was reported in the southwestern parish of St. Elizabeth, which he said “is under water.”

He said severe damage also was reported in parts of Clarendon in southern Jamaica.

Almost every parish in the country is experiencing blocked roads, fallen trees, damaged utility poles and excessive flooding, McKenzie said.

He said four main hospitals are damaged, with the storm knocking out power to one of them, forcing officials to evacuate 75 patients.

Floodwaters trapped at least three families in their homes in the community of Black River in western Jamaica, and crews were unable to help them because of dangerous weather conditions, said Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council.

“Roofs were flying off,” he said. “We are hoping and praying that the situation will ease so that some attempt can be made to get to those persons.”

McKenzie said there are no confirmed reports of deaths and stressed that it was too early to talk about the extent of the damage because the storm was still pummeling the island.

Rohan Brown, with Jamaica’s Meteorological Service, said damaging hurricane winds were persisting late Tuesday afternoon in St. James, Trelawny and sections of St. Ann and Hanover.

“We’re not in the clear as yet,” he said.

He warned that as Melissa moves off the island, its counterclockwise rotation will bring a heavy storm surge to northern Jamaica through the night.

Meanwhile, officials are working to determine how best to clear the debris after the storm and distribute emergency relief supplies to avoid bottlenecks at Jamaica’s ports, said Richard Thompson, acting general director for Jamaica’s emergency management office.

“People out there are in need,” he said.

Officials have said they hope to reopen the island’s airports by Thursday.

Nearly 15,000 people were in shelters as Melissa continued to pummel Jamaica. Some 540,000 customers, or 77%, were without power, officials said.

Michael Brennan, director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami, said late Tuesday that winds across Jamaica would remain dangerous even though Melissa’s center had moved into open water.

He said people in Jamaica are still facing “dangerous conditions across the island.”

Melissa was now headed toward the southeast coast of Cuba, where it was expected to make landfall as a major hurricane early Wednesday.

The storm was expected to generate a storm surge of up to 12 feet (30 centimeters) in the region and drop up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain in parts of eastern Cuba.

“Numerous landslides are likely in those areas,” Brennan said.

On Tuesday evening, Melissa had top sustained winds of 145 mph (230 kph) and was moving north-northeast at 8 mph (13 kph) as its center exited Jamaica and moved into the Caribbean Sea.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Melissa was centered about 15 miles (20 kilometers) east of Montego Bay, Jamaica, and about 200 miles (325 kilometers) southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba.

In the Sierra Maestra mountains in the province of Santiago de Cuba, people tell The Associated Press that they used all kinds of transportation to evacuate from the most isolated areas, including buses, trucks and even horse-drawn carts.

Some of those fleeing their residences in remote areas huddled into the home of 83-year-old Eduviges Figueroa at the foot of the Sierra Maestra mountains that was being used as a makeshift shelter.

“We’re helping as best we can,” she said. “Now I’m cooking for everyone.”

As of Tuesday, there were already some 20 people in her home.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said every effort will be made to protect residents despite the fragility of the island’s economy.

In a televised address to the nation and wearing an olive-green uniform, Díaz-Canel urged the population to not underestimate the power of the storm, calling it “the strongest ever to hit national territory.”

He asked residents to avoid bathing in swollen rivers and urged them not to leave evacuation sites “until the order has been given.”

“There will be a lot of work to do. We know there will be a lot of damage.”

Officials in Jamaica warned residents in the capital, Kingston, and surrounding areas to beware of crocodiles and avoid floodwaters.

“Heavy rains and flooding associated with Hurricane Melissa may result in crocodiles being displaced from their natural habitats,” said the island’s South East Regional Health Authority in an official social media post, warning the public not to try and capture or harm any crocodile “that appears displaced.”

The only species of crocodile in Jamaica is found primarily along the island’s southern coast from St. Thomas to Westmoreland. Smaller populations may be found in Hanover and Trelawny, according to Jamaica’s National Environment and Planning Agency.

China’s ambassador to Cuba posted a video on X showing the transportation of hundreds of boxes of what he called “family kits,” along with pictures of their contents: footwear, toothbrushes, forks, spoons, bowls, umbrellas and thermal blankets, among others.

“The damage is expected to be considerable,” Hua Xin wrote.

The products were pre-positioned in eastern Cuba ahead of the hurricane and were delivered by the Chinese Red Cross to its Cuban counterpart.

Streets have emptied in Cuba’s second-largest city as people in Santiago de Cuba rush to prepare for the storm.

State television shows people rounding up animals and protecting crops in areas outside the city of over a million residents.

“May God have mercy on us, because it’s coming with a lot of strength,” resident Diamon Mendoza says. “Anything can happen.”

Work crews in recent days have pruned trees, unblocked drains and removed debris to prepare.

The U.S. State Department is telling citizens in the path of Hurricane Melissa to “depart ASAP if still possible.” It says they should prepare to shelter in place if they can’t.

Experts say Hurricane Melissa’s 185 mph winds and 892 millibars of central pressure on landfall tied two different records for the strongest Atlantic storm upon hitting land.

The pressure measurement — the key one meteorologists use — ties with 1935’s Labor Day hurricane in Florida. And the wind speed ties with that 1935 hurricane and 2019’s Hurricane Dorian. That’s according to hurricane scientists Philip Klotzbach of Colorado State University and Brian McNoldy of the University of Miami.

“It’s been a remarkable just a beast of a storm,” Klotzbach tells The Associated Press.

Colin Bogle is a Mercy Corps adviser based near Kingston. He says most families are sheltering in place even though the government has ordered evacuations in flood-prone communities. He is sheltering with his grandmother in Portmore, where everything went dark earlier in the morning after a loud explosion.

“The noise is relentless,” he says. “People are anxious and just trying to hold on until the storm passes.”

United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric has told reporters that authorities in Cuba “plan to evacuate about half a million people to safer ground.” Melissa is expected to make landfall in eastern Cuba late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

The U.N. says it is preparing humanitarian aid for Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti.

The National Hurricane Center says Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica near New Hope and was moving north-northeast at 9 mph (15 kph).

The hurricane was centered about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Negril, Jamaica, and about 145 miles (235 kilometers) southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba.

That’s according to Jamaica’s Meteorological Service and other experts.

Melissa is the strongest Atlantic hurricane to make landfall since Hurricane Dorian made landfall on Abaco Island in the Bahamas in 2019 with 185 mph winds. That’s according to Philip Klotzbach, a Colorado State University hurricane researcher.

Authorities in the eastern Cuban province of Holguín prepared to evacuate more than 200,000 people on Tuesday, in addition to a similar number moved to safety from the town of Banes.

Reports on social media and state television showed blue-and-white buses ferrying evacuees to shelter. Families clutched babies and belongings, and elderly people steadied themselves with canes as they disembarked.

“This phenomenon is very dangerous,” Deputy Prime Minister Eduardo Martínez said in a statement from Banes, where he was located in what appeared to be a shelter. “It is unprecedented,” he said of Hurricane Melissa.

“It’s going to be a very dangerous scenario,” said Michael Brennan, director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami, warning that there would be “total building failures.”

Brennan said Jamaica’s highest mountains could see wind gusts of up to 200 mph (321 kph).

“It’s just a catastrophic situation playing out here for Jamaica,” he said.

Brennan noted that Melissa would make landfall in eastern Cuba overnight Tuesday or early Wednesday.

“Jamaica, this is not the time to be brave,” said Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council.

McKenzie said the government was prepared for potential rescues immediately after the storm.

“We have boats, helicopters, you name it,” he said.

They included a new reggae jam that referenced Melissa.

“Hold on, Jamaica!” the singer crooned as he gave a shout out to all those in the Caribbean affected by the storm, “our family in Cuba, our sisters in Haiti.”

In between songs, people called in and reported conditions in their neighborhoods, with one woman in western Jamaica saying it sounded like someone was knocking heavily on her door.

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A man walks in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa approaches, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

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A man fortifies a roof ahead of the forecast arrival of Hurricane Melissa in Kingston, Jamaica, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

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People take shelter in a school ahead of Hurricane Melissa’s forecast arrival in Old Harbour, Jamaica, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

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A man watches the coastline in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa closes in, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

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Men remove a loose section of roof in Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa approaches, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

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▶ See more photos of Hurricane Melissa’s impact on the Caribbean

The U.N.’s International Organization for Migration said Tuesday it will dispatch solar lamps, blankets, indoor tents, generators and other items from its logistics hub in Barbados as soon as the storm crosses Jamaica.

“Many people are likely to be displaced from their homes and in urgent need of shelter and relief,” said Natasha Greaves, Interim Head of Office for IOM Jamaica.

Meanwhile, the nonprofit Direct Relief said it has two packages with enough medications to treat 3,000 people in one month staged in Panama and ready to deploy.

It also will send a shipment of 100 field medic packs from its warehouse in California as soon as the island’s main airport reopens.

More than 130 shelters were open across the island, but by late Monday, fewer than 1,000 people had heeded evacuation orders.

One exception was the small community of Old Harbor, just west of Kingston. Some 200 people crowded in its shelter by late Monday.

“It’s definitely more than last time,” said Jason Fuller, a firefighter and shelter volunteer, referring to the number of people that sought shelter from Hurricane Beryl last year.

The warming of the world’s oceans caused by climate change helped double Hurricane Melissa’s wind speed in less than 24 hours over the weekend, climate scientists said Monday.

Melissa is currently a Category 5 storm, the highest category. Melissa is forecast to make landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday before crossing Cuba and the Bahamas through Wednesday.

Scientists said this is the fourth storm in the Atlantic this year to undergo rapid intensification of its wind speed and power.

“That part of the Atlantic is extremely warm right now — around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), which is 2 to 3 degrees Celsius above normal,” said Akshay Deoras, a meteorologist at the University of Reading, in the United Kingdom. “And it’s not just the surface. The deeper layers of the ocean are also unusually warm, providing a vast reservoir of energy for the storm.”

Deoras, who has tracked the impact of climate change on weather phenomena for decades, said scientists are seeing storms intensify quickly.

Anything in the backyard that isn’t tied down, such as furniture and barbecue grills, should be secured or brought inside so it doesn’t become a projectile that can come through a window, said Shawn Schulze, regional CEO for the American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region.

If possible, board up windows and place important documents such as passports and birth certificates in a waterproof case or even a Ziploc bag, Schulze said. That will prevent damage and make documents easier to locate in a quick evacuation.

Some preparation needs to happen well before a storm is imminent. That includes trimming or removing dead or weakened tree limbs and shrubs that hang over homes to lessen potential damage from high winds, said Mistie Hinote, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Insurance.

Brian Mason, director of Houston’s Office of Emergency Management, recommends that homeowners get their roofs inspected before each hurricane season and know how to turn off their utilities in case of damage.

Read more about how to prepare for a hurricane

The U.S. National Hurricane Center warned Monday that Hurricane Melissa could cause catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides in parts of Jamaica, Cuba and Hispaniola.

Earthquakes, heavy rain and changes to the soil, such as construction or agricultural practices, can trigger landslides.

Melissa’s relatively slow movement, path over mountainous terrain and “tremendous” rainfall amounts up to 40 inches (102 centimeters) in certain localities are ingredients that are contributing to a “worrisome” landslide risk, said Brian Tang, a professor of atmospheric science at University at Albany.

“It’s not like an urban area where it just kind of drains slowly. It really runs very quickly down the hillsides,” said Tang. The heavy rainfall can cause erosion, exacerbate a slope’s weakness and result in a landslide.

According to Jamaica’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, landslides are the most common natural hazard in the island nation. Hispaniola, which Haiti and the Dominican Republic share, and Cuba are also susceptible to landslides due to mountainous terrain and their locations in a seismically active zone.

Melissa was also expected to make landfall in eastern Cuba late Tuesday as a powerful hurricane.

A hurricane warning was in effect for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo and Holguin provinces, while a tropical storm warning was in effect for Las Tunas. Up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain were forecast for parts of Cuba, along with a significant storm surge along the coast.

Cuban officials said Monday that they were evacuating more than 600,000 people from the region, including Santiago, the island’s second-largest city.

Melissa has also drenched the southern regions of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with a tropical storm warning still in effect for Haiti.

The hurricane was forecast to turn northeast after Cuba and strike the southeast Bahamas by Wednesday evening.

A hurricane warning was in effect for the southeastern and central Bahamas, and a tropical storm warning was issued for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

On Tuesday morning, Melissa was centered about 55 miles (90 kilometers) south-southeast of Negril, Jamaica, and about 265 miles (430 kilometers) southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba. The system had maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 kph) and was moving north-northeast at 7 mph (11 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Colin Bogle, a Mercy Corps advisor based near Kingston, said most families are sheltering in place despite the government ordering evacuations in flood-prone communities.

Necephor Mghendi, the international Red Cross’ regional head of delegation for the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, said that an estimated 1.5 million people in the storm’s path will be affected, but many others as well.

U.N. agencies and dozens of nonprofits had food, medicine and other essential supplies prepositioned as they awaited a distribution rush after the storm.

Matthew Samuda, Jamaica’s water and environment minister, said he had more than 50 generators available to deploy after the storm, but warned people to set aside clean water and use it sparingly.

Hurricane Melissa was set to pummel Jamaica on Tuesday as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, the strongest to lash the island since recordkeeping began 174 years ago.

Hours before the storm, the Jamaican government said it had done all it could to prepare as it warned of catastrophic damage. The streets in the capital, Kingston, remained largely empty except for the lone stray dog crossing puddles and a handful of people walking briskly under tree branches waving in a stiff wind.

“There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5,” Prime Minister Andrew Holness said. “The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge.”

The storm is expected to make landfall on Tuesday and slice diagonally across the island. Shortly after, it is expected to hit Cuba.