Link to my Article: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/hurricane-melissa-hits-cuba-hours-after-devastating-jamaica-2025-10-29/
On October 29, 2025, Hurricane Melissa made landfall on the southern coast of eastern Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, just hours after hammering Jamaica as one of the strongest ever storms on record there. Authorities in Cuba evacuated around 735,000 people from eastern provinces ahead of the storm’s arrival. In Jamaica’s southwestern parish of St. Elizabeth, more than half a million residents were left without power as hospitals, housing and infrastructure suffered extensive damage. The U.S. National Hurricane Center warned of “life threatening storm surge, flash flooding and landslides,” as the storm pushes on toward the Bahamas and elsewhere.
Hurricane Melissa underscores how vulnerable Caribbean nations are to increasingly powerful storms, and how climate change may be accelerating the intensity of these events. The fact that Jamaica, historically accustomed to major hurricanes, faced what may be the worst storm yet illustrates the escalating risk. Cuba’s large scale evacuations reflect greater state capacity to respond, but also highlight the potential for catastrophic damage to housing, agriculture and energy infrastructure. Regionally, recovery may stretch resources and coordination. The long term impact could include more frequent large evacuation, rising costs of preparedness and infrastructure rebuilding, and increased pressure on governments to bolster resilience of face greater loss.
The Jamaican government could expedite damage assessments, request international humanitarian aid, and prioritize restoring power and hospital function in affected places like St. Elizabeth. So far, the U.K. has given $ 3 million to Jamaica to help with the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa. Also in Cuba officials might start reconstruction funds and create temporary shelters for citizens that lost their homes. Overall internationally countries and global agencies could commit emergency relief operations, and invest in long term climate adaptation infrastructure for small island states.
This event connects perfectly with class themes. When Jamaica and Cuba evacuate large populations and deploy state resources in the face of a natural disaster, they are exercising sovereign authority over their territories and populations. The role of climate driven disasters can also bring in the concept of soft power. How countries build resilience to natural disasters, and shape their image and attract foreign aid. With foreign aid can also come alliances between two nations, like how the U.K. is giving $3 million dollars for Jamaica. This will probably end up a quid pro quo situation later down the line between the two countries.