In Jamaica, a tropical hurricane named "Melissa" caused great damage. The natural disaster struck the southwestern part of the country on October 28th and engulfed the entire island within hours. Local authorities and the media report floods, landslides, overturned trees, and broken electrical poles.
The extent of the damage is currently being determined, but according to reports, at least 15,000 people in Jamaica have been relocated to temporary shelters. 530 thousand households in the country were left without electricity due to damage to electrical networks.
Kingston city authorities also reminded of the threat to wildlife caused by the floods - in some areas, crocodiles were warned that they could leave their natural habitats and enter populated areas.
The "Melissa" crossed the territory of Jamaica within 24 hours and is now heading towards Cuba. It is expected that there will also be an attack on the morning of October 29. The Cuban government has previously evacuated 735,000 citizens to safe areas. After the natural disaster, the direction of the hurricane is expected to turn towards the Bahama Islands.
According to official data, three people died in Jamaica, three more citizens in Haiti, and one person in the Dominican Republic. Another person has been added to the list of missing persons in the Dominican Republic.
According to the Jamaican Meteorological Service, "Melissa" has been recorded as the strongest hurricane to hit the country in the history of observations since 1851. Wind speeds at the epicenter of the disaster reached 295 kilometers per hour.
According to the Associated Press, this is the second-highest wind speed in history among hurricanes that have landed in the Atlantic region. The first was recorded in the famous tropical cyclone "Allen" in 1980.
The Jamaican government mobilized military and civil defense forces to address the consequences of the disaster. Rescue teams are working to restore roads and power lines, and to provide the population with food and drinking water.
In the Caribbean, the disaster season has not yet ended. According to meteorologists, there is a possibility of two or three more tropical storms forming by November. Therefore, countries in the region are advised to be very vigilant.
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