Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of destruction that will shape the Caribbean for years. Jamaica’s disaster declaration reflects a country pushed to its limits: half a million people without power, hospitals and water systems clinging to life on generators, and emergency crews still struggling to reach cut‑off communities where needs are only beginning to surface. Families sift through wreckage for belongings, while officials brace for more victims to be found as waters recede.

To the north, Cuba’s mass evacuations show hard lessons learned from past storms. Hundreds of thousands have fled coastal villages and flood-prone towns, carrying only what they can. Forecasts of 120 mph winds, up to 25 inches of rain, and towering storm surges threaten homes, crops, and fragile infrastructure across the island. Even after Melissa moves on, the region will face a second crisis: contaminated water, disease risks, and the long, uneven struggle to rebuild.