Melissa leaves 50 dead, toll expected to rise in Jamaica, Haiti

"The storm has left 60 percent of Jamaica without electricity and some areas with up to 90 percent of roofs gone. Hurricane Melissa is finally leaving the Caribbean after battering communities in Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba for days, leaving a trail of devastation that killed about 50 people. The hurricane smashed into Jamaica with enormous force on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm, and residents were assessing their losses and the long road to recovery on Friday."

"In the historic seaside town of Black River, in southwest Jamaica, up to 90 percent of all structures were left without roofs, while the storm also snapped power lines and toppled concrete structures. People are hungry, said Monique Powell as she stood watch over a stash of groceries and household items for herself and a group of residents from Greenfield, one of many hurricane-torn communities on the outskirts of Black River."

"The storm, one of the most powerful ever recorded, was made four times more likely because of human-caused climate change, according to a study by Imperial College London. Jamaica's Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon told a briefing that authorities had quite credible reports of a potential five additional deaths, but had not yet been able to confirm. We're still at 19 confirmed, but we do expect that will change today, she said."

Hurricane Melissa devastated parts of the Caribbean, leaving about 50 people dead across Jamaica, Haiti and other islands. Sixty percent of Jamaica remains without electricity and nearly half of water systems are offline. In Black River, up to 90 percent of structures lost roofs and concrete structures were toppled. Residents face hunger and damaged supplies amid widespread displacement. Jamaica authorities reported 19 confirmed deaths with potential additional fatalities pending confirmation. Haiti reported at least 31 deaths and 21 missing, with more than 15,800 people in shelters. Cuba evacuated over 735,000 people and reported no deaths as of Friday. A study found climate change quadrupled the storm's likelihood.

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