Jamaica launches reconstruction after Hurricane Melissa

01-11-25

The island of Jamaica has begun its recovery process after Hurricane Melissa swept through, leaving significant impacts across its territory. Although the storm had previously affected Cuba and the Bahamas, it was in Jamaica where road infrastructure collapsed, much of the country lost power, and communications were disrupted.

The Jamaican government has mobilized teams to restore normality. In recent days, the main airports have been brought back online, with Kingston already receiving commercial flights and Montego Bay set to reopen over the weekend. Likewise, ports that were closed due to the hurricane have resumed operations to allow the arrival of humanitarian aid.

The impact on the tourism sector has been serious. Thousands of visitors remain in hotels and tourist areas that are isolated or experiencing interruptions to basic services. Since tourism is a key pillar of Jamaica’s economy, authorities have set a target to fully reopen tourist facilities by December 15, coinciding with the peak Christmas and New Year season.