Fifty days after Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica, the country continues to face extensive challenges in recovery and rebuilding. Estimates place the total damage and loss between $8 billion and $15 billion, representing nearly a quarter of Jamaica’s gross domestic product, according to Dennis Zulu, UN Resident Coordinator for Jamaica, the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos. The hurricane affected more than 626,000 people and claimed 45,000 lives, highlighting the severe human impact of the disaster.
Despite progress in recovery efforts, many Jamaicans remain displaced. Currently, 90 emergency shelters are still operating, housing nearly 950 people who have yet to return to their homes. Entire communities remain exposed, particularly in southwestern Jamaica, where at least 120,000 buildings have lost their roofs. The hurricane caused prolonged and cascading disruptions to essential services, leaving western parishes without electricity for weeks.
The education sector has also been heavily impacted. Damage to school facilities has kept many children out of school, with approximately 450 institutions—nearly two-thirds of all schools nationwide—reporting significant issues, including roof loss, structural failure, and other forms of destruction. These disruptions underscore the ongoing challenges Jamaica faces in restoring normalcy and ensuring access to basic services.
