At Least 30 Dead from Hurricane Melissa – Unprecedented Damage in Jamaica

At least 30 people have died due to Hurricane Melissa, with the damage in Jamaica described as "unprecedented." Among the victims are 10 children, and 10 people are missing.

In Haiti, at least 20 people, including 10 children, died after a river overflowed. The Director-General of Civil Protection of Haiti, Emanouel Pierre, reported that searches for the missing are continuing in the coastal community of Petit-Goâve, where the La Digue River overflowed, sweeping away homes.

Hurricane Melissa is the strongest to make landfall in the last 90 years. It struck Jamaica and Cuba, causing significant damage. In Jamaica, a UN official stated that the damage reached "unprecedented levels," with massive destruction to infrastructure, property, roads, communication networks, and electricity.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. is in contact with the governments of Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas, and is sending rescue teams and supplies.