Hurricane Melissa has devastated parts of the Caribbean, leaving more than 50 people dead and prompting massive search and rescue operations across Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti. The Category 5 storm, among the most powerful ever recorded in the region, made landfall in Jamaica on October 28 before sweeping through the southeastern Bahamas and weakening as it moved toward Bermuda.
Entire communities have been left without power or communication, with widespread flooding, collapsed homes, and blocked roads complicating rescue efforts. International aid and recovery teams are now rushing to provide assistance as the full scale of the damage comes into focus.
Hurricanes are just one of nature’s most destructive forces, capable of transforming entire landscapes within hours. From the Caribbean to the US coastline, these powerful storms remind us of both the planet’s beauty and its devastating potential. Click through to see the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes in history.