Jamaican Prime Minister Declares Country a "Catastrophic Zone" in Wake of Hurricane Melissa

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the country a "catastrophic zone" this Tuesday following the impact of Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that weakened to Category 4 shortly after making landfall in Westmoreland, a parish located in the southwest.

The declaration was made under the Disaster Risk Management Act, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's office.

Data provided by the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) indicates that more than 530,000 customers, approximately 77% of the clientele, are without electrical service across the nation.

Meanwhile, Desmond McKenzie, Jamaica's Minister of Local Government and Community Development, who is responsible for the disaster response, stated at a press conference that there have been reports of widespread flooding, landslides, and severe damage to infrastructure.

The parishes suffering the most significant damage so far are Clarendon, Manchester, Saint Elizabeth, and Westmoreland, where many communities remain isolated and roads are impassable.

McKenzie described the devastation in Saint Elizabeth as "extensive," reporting that "several families" were trapped in their homes in Black River and that rescue teams are struggling to reach affected residents due to dangerous conditions.

The minister emphasized that he could not provide specific details on the magnitude of the damage caused by the hurricane, as assessments are just beginning.

Furthermore, McKenzie thanked the Jamaica Fire Brigade and the Jamaica Defence Force for their arduous work in assisting residents throughout the day and confirmed that more than 800 shelters are open. As of three hours ago, 382 of them were housing nearly 15,000 people across the island.

In a related move, Jamaica's Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Aubyn Hill, issued an emergency business order to prevent price gouging and safeguard essential supplies.

"We must continue to proactively maintain stability, protect consumers, and prevent any form of exploitation at a time when citizens are securing their supplies of food, water, and other items. These orders provide the Government with the necessary tools to continue managing our response to Hurricane Melissa," Hill explained.

Jamaican authorities reported that, according to preliminary data, Melissa caused damage to six hospitals and left roads flooded, with downed light poles and trees.

The Minister of Health and Wellness, Christopher Tufton, reported this Tuesday that four hospitals sustained "major damage" from Melissa.

The affected medical institutions are Noel Holmes in Hanover, Black River in Saint Elizabeth, Cornwall Regional in Saint James, and Falmouth in Trelawny.

Additionally, access to the Bustamante Children's Hospital in Kingston was blocked due to a fallen utility pole.

A section of the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital in Westmoreland also suffered serious damage after winds from Hurricane Melissa tore off part of its roof.

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), Hurricane Melissa weakened to Category 4, although alerts for strong winds, flash flooding, and storm surge persist.

At least nine people have died so far due to the winds and rains associated with Melissa's path through the Caribbean—three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, two in Panama, and one in the Dominican Republic.