Hurricane Melissa kills 50+ in Caribbean, causes $52B damage

Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest storms to ever hit the Caribbean, made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane in Jamaica, causing catastrophic damage and leaving at least 60 people dead across Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba. Jamaica experienced its most powerful hurricane ever, with winds up to 185 mph, resulting in extensive destruction, widespread power outages affecting over 60% of the island, and at least 19 confirmed deaths. Haiti, though not directly hit, suffered severe flooding and torrential rains from the slow-moving storm, leading to at least 31 deaths, 20 missing persons, and significant damage to homes, infrastructure, and farmland, with concerns about cholera outbreaks due to contaminated water. Cuba was struck as a Category 3 hurricane, causing widespread damage and displacing hundreds of thousands, though no deaths had been confirmed there as of early November. The storm's economic impact is estimated between $48 billion and $52 billion across the western Caribbean, with emergency responses ongoing, including evacuations, emergency food distribution, and humanitarian aid. Climate experts have linked the storm's intensity to human-caused climate change, which made such extreme weather events more likely.