How the Caribbean has been impacted, and how Canadians can support relief efforts
After the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa in October, over 60 individuals are reported to have lost their lives in the Caribbean. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness stated there are 28 confirmed deaths on the island of Jamaica, while 31 have been confirmed in Haiti, and two in the Dominican Republic at the time of publication. The death toll is expected to rise, as aid efforts are having difficulty reaching some communities that have become isolated due to immense damages. This has left civilians without food, clean water, shelter or essential medical care. The category five storm left a trail of devastation behind as landslides, storm surges, flash flooding, and strong winds wrecked communities. At its strongest point, the storm is said to have had wind speeds up to 295 km/h . Hurricane Melissa itself has left roads washed out, many buildings without roofs and with significant water damage, while debris has rendered streets unnavigable.
As one of the strongest Atlantic storms to ever reach landfall, Hurricane Melissa began as a tropical wave, initially formed off the coast of West Africa. The town of Black River, Jamaica, is considered ‘ground zero’ of the hurricane, as the community sustained the most catastrophic damage upon the storm’s landfall on Oct. 28. It then picked up momentum, sweeping through Jamaica before passing by Haiti, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba, finally settling off the coast of Nfld. on Nov. 1, 2025. By the time it had reached Canadian waters, Hurricane Melissa was categorized as a post-tropical cyclone, meaning the intensity of the storm had lessened quite a bit. What Atlantic Canada experienced as heavy rains and high winds, the Caribbean experienced as life-altering natural disaster.
As 70 per cent of Jamaican citizens live in coastal regions of the island, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes, many of which have been completely decimated by the weather. As such, well over 500,000 people have been left without electricity, with half of the country cut off from telecommunication services. Due to the destruction of infrastructure on the island, 400 essential water systems have been compromised, leaving many citizens without access to clean drinking water. In recovering from this horrific disaster, one of the first priorities of the Jamaican Government is the building of field hospitals, in order to reconnect those affected by the storm with lifesaving medical support amidst the chaos. Evacuation camps have been set up for those who are in need of shelter or food, but at this time, securing enough resources to sustain those who are displaced is imperative. Although it has not yet been determined how much of this hurricane can be attributed to climate change, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted that 2025 would be a season of “above-normal” hurricane activity. As reported by the BBC, “increased sea surface temperatures warm the air above and make more energy available to drive hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons. As a result, they are likely to be more intense with extreme rainfall.” The protection of our climate is essential in keeping water temperatures stable.
Hurricane Melissa was the most destructive storm to ever hit the island of Jamaica, but Holness assures reconstruction and healing is possible for the country. “Our country has been ravaged by Hurricane Melissa, but we will rebuild and we will do so even better than before.” As recovery and relief efforts remain underway, his words serve as a reminder that hope is not lost. Canadians can support those impacted by this crisis by providing essential items and contributing to reconstruction efforts. This can be done by making monetary donations through credible institutions, such as the Government of Jamaica’s Emergency Appeal, found at https://supportjamaica.gov.jm/ , the Red Cross, or the World Food Program’s (WPF) website.