Jamaica declares disaster alert: Hurricane Melissa” devastates the island!

Jamaica declares disaster alert: Hurricane Melissa” devastates the island!

The situation in the Caribbean is tense: the government of Jamaica has declared the island a disaster area due to the devastating damage caused by Hurricane Melissa. Prime Minister Andrew Holness makes it clear how important the safety and well-being of the population is to him and calls on citizens to exercise extreme caution. “Melissa” hit Jamaica near New Hope as a Category 5 hurricane with wind speeds of up to 295 km/h, leaving a trail of destruction behind.

The storm caused enormous damage: roofs of homes and even hospitals were torn off, flooding occurred and many trees fell victim to the powerful winds. The area around St. Elizabeth is particularly affected, where Richard Thompson from ODPEM reports widespread damage to schools and hospitals. Health Minister Christopher Tufton also reports significant material damage to at least four larger clinics. In one particular clinic, 75 patients had to be moved to a higher floor.

Infrastructure and humanitarian aid

The extent of the destruction will be further investigated in the coming days. Holness expects severe damage to infrastructure, roofs, vegetation and ports. The hurricane center also warns of catastrophic winds and flash flooding, particularly in higher elevations where the dangers are particularly great.

The relief measures are already in full swing: around 6,000 people have gone to emergency accommodation, although the numbers in high-risk zones are still estimated to be too low. The Red Cross has already warned of potentially unprecedented consequences for Jamaica, which has a population of over 2.8 million. To improve the humanitarian situation, the UN is coordinating the transport of aid supplies and planning to airlift 2,000 aid packages. The government has also mobilized the Jamaican armed forces and called up reservists to actively support the rescue work.

Hurricanes in focus

Hurricanes like Melissa are tropical cyclones that typically occur in the northern Atlantic, but also in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They usually occur between May and December, with the highest probability in summer. They develop over warm water surfaces of at least 26.5 °C and under certain atmospheric conditions and can cause enormous damage when they meet land. In particular, their wind speeds and the storm surges and floods they cause are feared.

According to forecasts for the 2024 hurricane season in the North Atlantic, storm volumes are expected to be above average. Experience from previous storms shows that hurricanes often cause billions in damage, especially when they make landfall on the US coast. In order to minimize future damage, stable structures and early warning systems are necessary that could enable the population to react quickly. Climate change could also further increase the likelihood and intensity of such storms.

The current situation confirms the ongoing need to take appropriate precautionary measures and raises awareness among the international community of the dangers posed by tropical cyclones such as Hurricane Melissa.

For more detailed information on these topics, you can consult the reports from Radio Ennepe Ruhr, Wikipedia and Munich Re be called.