*This story is developing and will be updated as new details emerge.
GENERAL UPDATES
- Experience Turks and Caicos, the tourism authority for the Turks and Caicos Islands, has stated that the destination is fully open for business and welcoming visitors after experiencing no significant damage following the passage of a tropical storm from Hurricane Melissa.
- The Bahamas Department of Meteorology, in coordination with the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Authority, issued an All Clear for the entire country. This confirmed that all hurricane watches and warnings had officially ended.
- As of 10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, October 29, Hurricane Melissa has weakened to a Category 2 storm after making landfall in Cuba.
- The storm continues to pose a significant threat with dangerous winds, storm surge and flooding.
- Its immediate threat is now shifting toward the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, with Bermuda facing a risk later this week and is now under a Tropical Storm Watch.
- Winds are currently near 105 mph, with higher gusts reported.
AIRPORT UPDATES
- Norman Manley International Airport has reopened, with several airlines resuming operations, including flights with relief supplies. Ian Fleming International Airport in St Mary has also reopened. Transport Minister Daryl Vaz says the aim is to have Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay open by Friday, Oct. 31, although some gates did experience major damage.
- All major airports in Jamaica remain closed as of Wednesday.
- Videos show serious damage at some airports, including Sangster International Airport (MBJ), where departure lounges were flooded.
- Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) in Kingston reported no major damage.
- Officials expect KIN to reopen for disaster relief flights as early as Thursday.
- Major airlines serving Jamaica have issued flight and change fee waivers, some extending through Nov. 2.
HOTEL UPDATES
- Hyatt confirmed that all guests and staff at its Jamaican resorts are safe following Hurricane Melissa. The company’s immediate focus is the comfort and safety of those currently on-site while conducting detailed damage assessments. Several properties in Montego Bay, including Breathless Montego Bay Resort & Spa, Dreams Rose Hall Resort & Spa, Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall, Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall, Secrets St. James Montego Bay, Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay, Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort & Spa and Zoetry Montego Bay Jamaica, have suspended operations and are not accepting new reservations through Jan. 31, 2026. Hyatt is extending fee waivers for cancellations during this period and covering room charges for guests awaiting departure. Prepaid reservations will be refunded within 10 business days.
- Round Hill confirms that Hurricane Melissa caused only minor cosmetic damage, and the resort remains structurally sound. With roads, power, and the airport affected, the target reopening date is Mon., Dec. 8, 2025, pending progress in local recovery. Guests with reservations from Oct. 25 to Dec. 7, 2025, may retain their deposit as a future credit or cancel without penalty. The property continues to coordinate with authorities to ensure safety and clear communication.
- The Tryall Club reports that it is shut down as assessments continue, and updates on reopening will follow. Guests with bookings through late November should contact [email protected] for assistance. The Tryall Fund is accepting donations, with 100 percent of proceeds directed to hurricane relief and rebuilding efforts.
Most of Jamaica lost internet connectivity as Hurricane Melissa tore through the island on Tuesday, unleashing more than a foot of rain in some areas. The storm caused widespread flooding—including in several hospitals—and prompted authorities to activate full emergency management protocols.
Desmond McKenzie, the country’s minister responsible for disaster response, said some communities in St. Elizabeth were “underwater” on Tuesday. Other regions on the eastern end of the island, including Kingston, fared better and awoke Wednesday largely undamaged compared to the hardest-hit areas.
The full extent of Melissa’s impact, including the death toll, may not be known for several days, but officials expect significant destruction in some regions. Jamaica’s Minister of Energy and Transport, Daryl Vaz, told Sky News on Tuesday that “not very much survives a Category 5 hurricane.”
When the storm hit Jamaica, it had sustained winds of 185 mph—ranking among the most intense Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The hurricane’s eye crossed the coastline near Black River on Jamaica’s southern shore and is expected to move diagonally across the island before heading toward eastern Cuba late Tuesday or early Wednesday and the southeastern Bahamas later in the week. Forecasters expect it to remain a major hurricane during this trajectory.
Meanwhile, Turks and Caicos Islands remain under alert as the hurricane’s outer bands approach. The TCI Executive Policy Committee, led by Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam and Premier Charles Washington Misick, has closed all public schools to facilitate shelter preparation and activated its disaster-response protocol.
The Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) warns that tropical-storm-force winds could begin late Tuesday, with a potential storm surge of 4–6 feet and rainfall of up to 4 inches in western areas. Heavy seas, dangerous surf and rip currents are expected along southern and western coastlines.
Tourism Sector Mobilizes Emergency Operations
Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, assured that visitor safety remains the government’s top priority. “The safety and security of our visitors are paramount,” he said, emphasizing that all emergency systems within the tourism sector are fully engaged.
The Tourism Emergency Operations Centre (TEOC), activated under the Ministry of Tourism, is serving as the central hub for all tourism-related hurricane response efforts. According to Minister Bartlett, approximately 25,000 visitors are currently on the island. “It’s all hands-on deck to ensure the safety of our visitors and locals alike,” he said.
As part of the coordinated response, hoteliers across Jamaica are offering distress rates to travelers who may need to extend their stay. Shelters have been opened at the Montego Bay Convention Centre and James Hunter Conference Centre in Negril to provide safe refuge during the storm’s passage.
Airports remain closed, including Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston and Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, though officials anticipate relief and recovery flights could begin once weather conditions permit.
Michael Brennan, Director of the National Hurricane Center, told CNN that it could take weeks to assess the complete impact and damage from the storm.
Strongest Hurricane in Jamaica’s Recorded History
Hurricane Melissa is the most powerful hurricane to make a direct hit on Jamaica, surpassing 1988’s Hurricane Gilbert. Winds in the eyewall are expected to cause “total structural failure” of weak buildings and widespread destruction of infrastructure.
Its slow movement threatens record-breaking rainfall of up to 30 inches, creating severe flash flooding and landslides, particularly in the island’s mountainous interior, according to ABC News. Storm surge could reach up to 13 feet along the southern coastline. Officials estimate that as many as 50,000 people could be displaced.
Industry Solidarity and Aid
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has activated its Disaster Response Fund to assist those most affected by Hurricane Melissa.
“Our hearts are with the people of Jamaica and all those in the path of Hurricane Melissa,” said CHTA President Sanovnik Destang. “We stand united as a region, offering our support to communities, tourism and hospitality workers and local businesses whose lives and livelihoods are being impacted. The Caribbean spirit is resilient, and together, we will recover, rebuild, and rise stronger.”
