*This story is developing and will be updated as new details emerge.
GENERAL UPDATES
- Experience Turks and Caicos, the tourism authority for the Turks and Caicos Islands, has stated that the destination is fully open for business and welcoming visitors after experiencing no significant damage following the passage of a tropical storm from Hurricane Melissa.
- The Bahamas Department of Meteorology, in coordination with the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Authority, issued an All Clear for the entire country. This confirmed that all hurricane watches and warnings had officially ended.
- As of 10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, Oct. 29, Hurricane Melissa has weakened to a Category 2 storm after making landfall in Cuba.
- At least 25 people in Haiti have died after a river burst its banks and flooded nearby homes, the mayor of a southern Haitian coastal town said on Wednesday; death counts continue to climb in Jamaica.
- The storm continues to pose a significant threat with dangerous winds, storm surge and flooding.
- Its immediate threat is now shifting toward the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, with Bermuda facing a risk later this week and now under a Tropical Storm Watch.
- Winds are currently near 105 mph, with higher gusts reported.
AIRPORT UPDATES
- Norman Manley International Airport has reopened, with several airlines resuming operations, including flights with relief supplies. Ian Fleming International Airport in St Mary has also reopened. Transport Minister Daryl Vaz says the aim is to have Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay open by Friday, although some gates did experience major damage.
- Jamaica’s Transport Minister Daryl Vaz will tour both international airports Wednesday following viral videos showing Sangster’s collapsed roof and flooding. Vaz expected KIN to receive relief supplies by Thursday.
- All major airports in Jamaica remain closed to commercial traffic as of Wednesday.
- Videos show serious damage at some airports, including Sangster International Airport (MBJ), where departure lounges were flooded.
- Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) in Kingston reported no major damage.
- Officials expect KIN to reopen for disaster relief flights as early as Thursday.
- Major airlines serving Jamaica have issued flight and change fee waivers, some extending through Nov. 2.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall on Jamaica’s southern coast Tuesday afternoon. The storm—a Category 5 with sustained winds of 185 mph—ranks among the most intense Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The hurricane’s eye crossed the coastline near Black River on Jamaica’s southern shore and is expected to move diagonally across the island before heading toward eastern Cuba late Tuesday or early Wednesday and the southeastern Bahamas later in the week. Forecasters expect it to remain a major hurricane during this trajectory.
Meanwhile, Turks and Caicos Islands remain under alert as the hurricane’s outer bands approach. The TCI Executive Policy Committee, led by Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam and Premier Charles Washington Misick, has closed all public schools to facilitate shelter preparation and activated its disaster-response protocol.
The Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) warns that tropical-storm-force winds could begin late Tuesday, with a potential storm surge of 4–6 feet and rainfall of up to 4 inches in western areas. Heavy seas, dangerous surf and rip currents are expected along southern and western coastlines.
Tourism Sector Mobilizes Emergency Operations
Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, assured that visitor safety remains the government’s top priority. “The safety and security of our visitors are paramount,” he said, emphasizing that all emergency systems within the tourism sector are fully engaged.
The Tourism Emergency Operations Centre (TEOC), activated under the Ministry of Tourism, is serving as the central hub for all tourism-related hurricane response efforts. According to Minister Bartlett, approximately 25,000 visitors are currently on the island. “It’s all hands-on deck to ensure the safety of our visitors and locals alike,” he said.
As part of the coordinated response, hoteliers across Jamaica are offering distress rates to travelers who may need to extend their stay. Shelters have been opened at the Montego Bay Convention Centre and James Hunter Conference Centre in Negril to provide safe refuge during the storm’s passage.
Airports remain closed, including Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston and Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, though officials anticipate relief and recovery flights could begin once weather conditions permit.
Michael Brennan, Director of the National Hurricane Center, told CNN that it could take weeks to assess the complete impact and damage from the storm.
Strongest Hurricane in Jamaica’s Recorded History
Hurricane Melissa is the most powerful hurricane to make a direct hit on Jamaica, surpassing 1988’s Hurricane Gilbert. Winds in the eyewall are expected to cause “total structural failure” of weak buildings and widespread destruction of infrastructure.
Its slow movement threatens record-breaking rainfall of up to 30 inches, creating severe flash flooding and landslides, particularly in the island’s mountainous interior, according to ABC News. Storm surge could reach up to 13 feet along the southern coastline. Officials estimate that as many as 50,000 people could be displaced.
Industry Solidarity and Aid
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has activated its Disaster Response Fund to assist those most affected by Hurricane Melissa.
“Our hearts are with the people of Jamaica and all those in the path of Hurricane Melissa,” said CHTA President Sanovnik Destang. “We stand united as a region, offering our support to communities, tourism and hospitality workers and local businesses whose lives and livelihoods are being impacted. The Caribbean spirit is resilient, and together, we will recover, rebuild, and rise stronger.”
