Category 5 hurricane Melissa devastates Cuba, claims 30 lives; strands 25,000 in relief camps

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica have been devastated by Hurricane Melissa. Formed in the Atlantic Ocean, this storm is considered one of the most devastating hurricanes of the century. So far, dozens of people have been confirmed dead, thousands of homes have been blown off their roofs, and power and communication systems have been disrupted.

Destruction and relief efforts in Jamaica

When Melissa made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane on Tuesday, winds reached 295 km per hour. The strong gusts blew roofs off houses, uprooted trees, and reduced roads to rubble. Landslides in Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth district, have blocked main roads. Schools and hospitals have been converted into relief camps, but many have lost their roofs. Education Minister Dana Morris Dickson said, "We don't yet know the exact extent of the damage; power and communications are completely out in many areas."

In Haiti, 25 people have died, while 18 are missing. Haiti's Civil Protection Agency reported that 20 of the dead and 10 of the missing were from a southern coastal town, where flooding destroyed dozens of homes. Eight deaths have also been confirmed in Jamaica. In Cuba, several houses collapsed on Wednesday, blocking roads and blowing off roofs. The worst damage occurred in the southwest and northwest regions. Officials said approximately 735,000 people are still in relief camps. "That night was like hell," said Reynaldo Charon, 52, a resident of Santiago de Cuba. "The whole night was terrifying." Meteorologists have warned that the storm has now become a Category 2 hurricane and could cause strong winds and flooding in the Bahamas within the next few hours.

More than 25,000 people are taking shelter in relief camps in Jamaica

More than 25,000 people in Jamaica are taking shelter in relief camps. The storm blew away the roofs of their houses and left them homeless. Electricity Minister Dickson said that 77 percent of the areas are without electricity. Richard Thompson, executive director of Jamaica's Disaster Management Department, said that communication is completely down in some places, making it difficult to assess the damage.

20 killed in Haiti, including 10 children

Hurricane Melissa damaged more than 160 homes and completely destroyed 80 in the Haitian town of Petit-Goav. Ten of the 20 people killed were children. Local resident Charlie Saint-Vil, 30, said that after the storm, the roads were reduced to rubble, and bodies were scattered everywhere. People were screaming in search of their missing children. He said, "People have lost everything." He also said that due to political instability, people are now worried about medicine, water, and food. "We don't know what will happen tomorrow or the day after." For now, people are helping each other. Saint-Vil has sheltered some homeless neighbors in his home. He said, "I'm doing as much as I can, but the situation is very difficult for everyone."