Hurricane Melissa, the first Category 5 storm to make landfall in the Atlantic basin in six years and the most powerful in Jamaica’s recorded history, has left a trail of “heartbreaking” destruction with estimated total damage and economic loss ranging from $48 billion to $52 billion, according to a preliminary estimate by AccuWeather.
The record-shattering storm, which battered Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic, is expected to have a significant and lasting impact on the region’s economy and its residents. AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter warned that a full recovery for the Caribbean could take a decade or longer.
Massive Economic and Human Toll
The catastrophic damage estimate considers more than just insured losses, factoring in long-term disruptions across critical sectors.
- Tourism Industry Blow: The vital tourism industry, a cornerstone of Jamaica’s economy, may take years to fully recover. The economic loss includes extended business shutdowns and travel disruptions.
- Infrastructure and Jobs: Costs are heavily weighted toward rebuilding critical infrastructure, covering medical expenses, job losses, and extraordinary government cleanup expenses.
- Agriculture and Fishing: Industries like agriculture and fishing, which were still recovering from Hurricane Beryl last year, have been significantly impacted, potentially shutting down for “weeks, months, or even years.”
“The devastation is heartbreaking. Hours of extreme winds and powerful storm surge, combined with days of torrential rainfall, destroyed thousands of homes and businesses,” said Jonathan Porter. “Lives have been turned upside down by this storm.”
Record-Shattering Strength and Humanitarian Concerns
Melissa’s historic intensity contributed to the widespread catastrophe.
- Historic Landfall: Hurricane Melissa was the first Category 5 storm to make landfall in Jamaica’s history, with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. This ties it for the strongest landfalling hurricane in the Atlantic basin in terms of sustained winds.
- Third-Most Intense: The storm was also the third-most intense Caribbean hurricane ever on record based on its minimum central pressure of 892 millibars.
As search and rescue operations continue in hard-hit, remote areas of Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Cuba, AccuWeather experts stressed the urgency of aid. “Ensuring access to clean drinking water, proper sanitation, and disease prevention will be critical in the days ahead,” Porter warned. “A humanitarian crisis can escalate quickly, especially in remote areas isolated by flooding, mudslides, and washed-out roads.”
Friday evening, Melissa is forecast to bring wind gusts of 40-60 mph to parts of Newfoundland in Atlantic Canada.
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