Witnesses recount ‘panic’ and ‘destruction’ as Hurricane Melissa tears through Jamaica’s homes

Witnesses have described scenes of panic and destruction as Hurricane Melissa tore across Jamaica, leaving parts of the island in chaos.

Melissa made landfall on Tuesday afternoon near New Hope with wind speeds of 185 mph (295 km/h), according to the US National Hurricane Center. Originally a category five hurricane, it was downgraded to category three after hitting the island, but officials warned it remained extremely dangerous as it moved towards Cuba and the Bahamas.

According to the BBC, locals and visitors told how they tried to stay safe as the storm ripped roofs from houses, knocked down trees, and cut power to around a third of the country’s 2.8 million people.

‘It looked like a disaster zone’

via SWNS

Kabien, a mother of three from Santa Cruz, described the terrifying moments as she tried to hold the doors of her home closed against the violent winds. “The doors are being blown off by the wind,” she said. “I am trying to use my own manpower to stop the wind blowing in the door. I am not OK.” She added that her children were “very, very scared.”

Kyle Holmes, visiting Jamaica from Bolton with his wife and three daughters, said the experience was “the worst ever.” Staying at the Grand Palladium Resort in Lucea, he said, “We barricaded the windows with all the furniture in the room. It looked like a disaster zone, but at least we were safe.”

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In Kingston, Winston Warren, who lives less than a kilometre from the ocean, said he feared for his home as waves crashed nearby. “There are times you just wonder, are the waves going to come crashing into your house?” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of roofs blown off.”

Simon Johnson, from Harbour View, Kingston, told the BBC that although he had experienced hurricanes before, nothing had prepared him for the scale of Melissa. Living just 200 metres from the harbour, he said he felt anxious despite stockpiling a week’s worth of food. “Many supermarkets were empty, and I couldn’t even find bread,” he added.

‘The windows have been blown through’

via SWNS

Tourists were also affected. Emma, visiting from Essex, England, told the BBC that strong winds had smashed the windows of her Montego Bay hotel. “We moved to a safe room as the children were petrified. The windows have been blown through and the staff are working furiously to make us safe. We have all just moved to another room in the building as the glass in the lobby is unsafe. We are all terrified,” she said.

Rebecca Chapman, who had arrived for her 25th wedding anniversary, described the eerie calm before the storm. “The birds have all gone, so it’s like a ghost town,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday.

Authorities warned residents to shelter in secure indoor spaces and, if possible, wear helmets to protect themselves from flying debris. Health officials also cautioned that flooding could displace crocodiles from their natural habitats.

Hurricane Melissa is the strongest storm on record for Jamaica and the most powerful globally this year. Three storm related deaths were reported on the island, with three further fatalities in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic.

The Foreign Office advised Britons in Jamaica to follow local guidance, especially if evacuation orders are issued.

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