Hurricane Melissa live updates: hundreds of thousands evacuated as Cuba faces 120mph winds; disaster area declared in Jamaica

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 12 min read 100% complete by Amy Sedghi (now) and Ima Caldwell (earlier)October 29, 2025 at 12:48 PM

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Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Cuba's Santiago de Cuba province with winds of up to 120 mph after causing destruction in Jamaica, which was declared a disaster area. Cuban authorities evacuated over 735,000 people and declared a state of alert in six eastern provinces. The hurricane weakened from category 5 to category 3 before hitting land. Schools, businesses, and government offices were closed in Haiti as a precautionary measure. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel warned via social media that it would be "a very difficult night" for the country but expressed hope for recovery.

Key Topics & Entities

Santiago de Cuba ×340% National Hurricane Center (NHC) ×250% Miguel Diaz-Canel 60% Jamaica ×470% Cuba ×890% Hurricane Melissa ×7100%

Keywords

hurricane melissa 100% evacuation 90% 120mph winds 90% cuba 85% jamaica 85% disaster area 75% evacuated people 70% state of alert 65% national hurricane center (nhc) 60% saffir-simpson scale 55%