Kingston, Jamaica — October 27, 2025.
As Hurricane Melissa moves slowly toward Jamaica’s western coastline, forecasters warn of a storm unlike any the island has seen in decades. With sustained winds of 175 mph, Melissa has strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane, expected to make direct landfall on Tuesday. The parishes of Hanover, Westmoreland, St. James, and St. Elizabeth are projected to face the most severe impacts — catastrophic winds, extreme rainfall, and a storm surge of up to four metres.
Yet across the island, from Montego Bay to Morant Bay, Jamaicans are not only preparing for the storm but also reflecting on what resilience means in a place where the home — physical and spiritual — is at the heart of life.
