Hurricane Melissa: latest updates as category 5 storm heads for Jamaica

Residents advised to seek shelter as 2025’s most powerful storm approaches. 

Last updated 28 October 2025

 

A rare category 5 storm is expected to make landfall in western Jamaica by late 28 October to early 29 October, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). 

Hurricane Melissa, the most powerful storm of 2025 so far, is currently moving slowly west-northwest at around 7 miles per hour, increasing the likelihood of life-threatening flash-flooding and landslides. 

Around 165,000 people are most at risk across eight parishes in Jamaica: Saint Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, Saint Catherine, Saint Andrew, Kingston, Saint Thomas and Portland.  

Vulnerable communities including those living in informal settlements and on coastal areas are at high risk due to fragile infrastructure and recent damage from 2024’s Hurricane Beryl. 

Though Melissa is expected to weaken to a category four storm before reaching Jamaica, the NHC has warned that this will make ‘very little practical difference in the overall impacts’ when it reaches the island. 

 

Size and population of Jamaica

With a population of 2.8 million, Jamaica is the fourth most populous country of the Caribbean. At only 4,224 square miles in area, the longest point of the island is 146 miles. 

Hurricane Melissa: How the Red Cross is helping people in Jamaica

The Jamaica Red Cross has taken early action to protect people across the eight parishes most at risk, mobilising volunteers, pre-positioning emergency supplies and preparing shelters ahead of the storm’s arrival.

With evacuations ongoing, supplies including shelter kits, hygiene kits, tarpaulins and water are being distributed to local branches, with trained volunteers on standby.

Horace Glance, deputy operations manager for the Jamaica Red Cross told ABC News on Sunday 26 October: “We’ve never had such a major hurricane coming across the island, making landfall and its eye passing over us.

“So the usual things such as landslides, as well as coastal, river and urban flooding, would be expected but it’s going to be a lot more with an event this size in terms of the volume of water... as well as more severe winds than we’ve ever experienced.”

Esther Pinnock of the Jamaica Red Cross told the BBC: "There are some areas where landslides are already happening because in the past few weeks we've been having rainfall events and as a result... we have a level of saturation already, so that predisposes us to some hazards." 

Support across the Caribbean

Once the hurricane has passed over Jamaica, southeastern Cuba and southern Hispaniola will be the next in its path, with heavy rainfall and flooding expected. Red Cross teams in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and the Bahamas have ramped up preparedness efforts in anticipation of Melissa’s arrival.

• In Cuba, the Cuban Red Cross is helping with evacuations and helping families stay in touch. 
• In Haiti, the Jérémie Emergency Operations Centre is working with local authorities.
• In the Dominican Republic, volunteers have carried out rescues and evacuations in flood-affected communities, as well as transporting patients from local hospitals to medical centres in safer areas. 

In response to the 2025 hurricane season, the Red Cross network is working to strengthen community resilience in over 28 countries by integrating science and local knowledge to protect communities from the growing risks posed by climate change. 

 

Help people affected by Hurricane Melissa and other disasters

No one should have to face a disaster alone. That’s why people and communities urgently need help from charities like the Red Cross. Our teams are on the ground now helping those in need. Please support us if you can. Donate now to the Disaster Fund, which helps us to respond to disasters and emergencies like Hurricane Melissa anywhere in the world.