On October 28, 2025, the ferocious Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, with sustained winds reaching about 185 mph and a central pressure of 892 millibars. It struck near the southwestern coast around the town of New Hope in Westmoreland Parish and brought catastrophic damage from flooding, landslides, and widespread power outages.
Communities in parishes such as St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, and Hanover were among the hardest hit. Whole neighborhoods were submerged, roads were blocked by mud and debris, communication and power lines were down, and many families lost roofs and entire homes. Early estimates suggest that damage in Jamaica reached about six billion U.S. dollars, nearly one third of the country’s GDP.
Senior Emma Angeli said she was shocked when she first saw the news.
“When I saw the pictures of houses flattened, I couldn’t believe people were facing this right now,” she said. “It looked like an entire island had been torn apart overnight.”
Local officials said that in some areas up to 77 percent of residents lost power, and emergency shelters struggled to care for displaced families. Rescuers reported that thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed, and that the recovery process could take months or even years.
Senior Aya Bardawil said the hurricane made her think about how vulnerable many communities are.
“It made me realize how fragile coastal communities are and how what happens thousands of miles away matters for all of us,” she said.
Although these seniors were not in Jamaica, they learned about Melissa through news reports and school discussions. Their reactions show how the storm’s impact reached far beyond the island itself.
Senior Renata Vadala said the disaster reminded her how important it is to care about others.
“Even though I’m safe here, hearing about the loss and disruption makes me feel I need to help in some way,” she said.
Hurricane Melissa will likely be remembered as the strongest storm ever to strike Jamaica and as a powerful reminder of the growing risks from extreme weather. As the country begins rebuilding, the voices of young people here and abroad remind that natural disasters can affect everyone, both directly and indirectly.
