Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica this week as a Category 5 storm, leaving heartbreaking damage. People have died, others are missing, and so much of the island’s infrastructure has taken a massive hit, with Melissa being one of the worst hurricanes ever measured in Jamaica.
Some shelters collapsed completely, and at least one hospital even had its roof torn off in the wind. Most residents lost power and running water almost immediately, and communication has basically disappeared. There are whole communities that are still completely cut off from supplies or aid due to the intense damage that makes travel impossible.
This storm is part of a larger pattern we’ve been seeing — stronger, faster-intensifying hurricanes fueled by a warming climate. Melissa is just one of four storms this year to intensify rapidly, making it harder for communities in its path to predict and prepare for the damage they might encounter. The first time anyone even heard of the hurricane forming was one week ago.
Even if time allowed it, Jamaica just wasn’t equipped for something this strong, and the aftermath shows it. The situation is still unfolding, but it’s clear that the island needs urgent help.
Hurricane Melissa hit with sustained winds of 185 miles per hour. The Associated Press reports that it tied for the strongest hurricane ever recorded to make landfall in Atlantic history, with effects also in Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
Homes and shelters have been wiped out, some ground floors are completely flooded, roads are blocked or washed out, and many neighborhoods are still underwater. Vast parts of the affected areas are without power or water, demonstrating Melissa’s devastatingly destructive path.
One of the scariest parts is that many people can’t reach their families. With cell towers down, people are just waiting and hoping that their loved ones are safe.
A family friend of mine, here in the U.S., has been trying to reach his relatives and friends who were directly in the storm’s path, but nothing is getting through — no calls and no texts. On WhatsApp, it only shows one checkmark, indicating a message has been sent but not delivered, rather than two checkmarks. Everyone’s hoping it’s just the signal being gone and not something worse.
Jamaica is in distress and needs support. Thankfully, international aid is already on the way. While it may feel like our help won’t matter, even if we’re far away, we can support Jamaica. There are centers taking donations for emergency relief, including The American Friends of Jamaica, Salvation Army, and Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE).
On campus, everything feels weirdly normal: people running to class, grabbing coffee, going to Halloween parties, or stressing over homework. However, thousands of miles away, friends and family are waiting to hear if their community is safe. It’s scary how helpless you can feel in the face of such a tragedy.
If you can, donate to the American Friends of Jamaica, the Salvation Army, CORE, or share information you know is accurate. It doesn’t feel like much, but it truly can make a difference. Even small actions can help families in Jamaica and across the entire Caribbean get the support they desperately need right now.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest!