Hurricane Melissa Devastates Jamaica, Kills Over 30

Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on Tuesday as a catastrophic Category 5 storm with maximum sustained winds near 185 mph and dumped more than 35 inches of rain across parts of the Caribbean before weakening as it moved toward Cuba and the Bahamas. The storm caused widespread destruction — roofless homes, severe flooding, downed power lines and washed-out roads — and officials attribute more than 30 deaths across Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Prolonged power outages and spotty communications have made contact difficult, though many U.S. relatives have confirmed loved ones are alive. Relief groups are mobilizing: Jamaica Relief Ministries is focusing on shelter, clean water and debris clearance, while Mercy Chefs is staging tens of thousands of pounds of food and preparing to deploy teams within days. Travel companies are rerouting trips and assessing damage to resorts, and communities have begun damage assessments as a lengthy rebuilding effort gets underway.