Hurricane Melissa live updates: No official death toll in Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa tore a path of destruction across Jamaica.

ByJack Moore, David Brennan, Emily Shapiro, and Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: October 30, 2025, 10:54 PM EDT

Hurricane Melissa tore a path of destruction across Jamaica after the storm made landfall on Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane, one of the most powerful landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin.

After lashing Jamaica with dangerous winds and flooding rain, Melissa made a second landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday morning. Melissa then moved through the Bahamas, and next, on Thursday night, the storm will pass Bermuda as a Category 1 or 2 hurricane.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Oct 30, 2025, 1:42 PM EDT

No official death toll in Jamaica

The death toll across Jamaica is expected to rise, but Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie would not provide a number on Thursday.

"There has been casualties, and we do anticipate, based on our information, that they'll be more," McKenzie said at a news conference.

About 13,000 people remain in shelters across the island, McKenzie said.

An aerial view of damaged buildings around the St. John's Anglican Church following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, in Black River, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica on October 29, 2025.
Ricardo Makyn/AFP via Getty Images

An aerial view of destroyed buildings following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, in Black River, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica on October 29, 2025.
Ricardo Makyn/AFP via Getty Images

-ABC News’ Othon Leyva

Oct 30, 2025, 1:00 PM EDT

490,000 customers without power in Jamaica

More than 490,000 customers are without power in Jamaica, accounting for 72% of customers, according to Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Daryl Vaz.

Several parishes, including St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland and Hanover are completely without power, Vaz said

The church of Lacovia Tombstone, Jamaica, sits damaged in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, Oct. 29, 2025.
Matias Delacroix/AP

Damaged buildings and structures are seen in St. Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica, on October 29, 2025, after Hurricane Melissa tore through the island.
Afp Videographics/AFP via Getty Images, FILE

The Jamaica Defence Force is cutting its way to areas in the western parts of the island by foot, officials said.

The JDF is also working to airlift patients out of hard-hit areas.

Officials said clearing roadways has been very difficult with trees, mud and up to 4 feet of sand blocking roads across the island.

-ABC News’ Othon Leyva

Oct 30, 2025, 11:32 AM EDT

Rubio pledges immediate humanitarian assistance for Cuba

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that the U.S. stands ready to offer immediate humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people. Initially, the U.S. excluded Cuba from the list of countries it was helping with Hurricane Melissa relief efforts.

A man walks through a flooded street in a neighborhood affected by Hurricane Melissa in Santiago de Cuba, October 29, 2025.
Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images

Oct 30, 2025, 8:07 AM EDT

Where Melissa is going next

Melissa, now a Category 2 hurricane, has passed the Bahamas and is moving northeast over open waters.

Melissa will gain speed before passing west of Bermuda on Thursday night as a Category 1 or 2 hurricane.

Hurricane-force winds are possible, prompting a hurricane warning for Bermuda. But only 1 inch of rain is expected.

Melissa won’t make any other landfalls.

On Friday night, Melissa’s remnants could bring wind and rain to Newfoundland, Canada.

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