Hurricane Melissa has killed at least 19 people in Jamaica and 30 in Haiti, leaving communities flattened, power out across much of Jamaica and roads choked with debris. Authorities say aid is moving faster as Kingston’s main airport returns to normal operations, but regional airfields remain limited and many routes are impassable. Satellite images show near-total destruction in some Jamaican villages; thousands lack water and food. Haiti has 15,000 people in shelters after flooding, while Cuba reports evacuations and no fatalities but hundreds of cut-off communities. The US, UK and UN agencies are mobilizing assistance as Bermuda braces.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.