Residents across the Caribbean nations of Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba are already feeling the impacts of Tropical Storm Melissa, the 13th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Experts caution that Tropical Storm Melissa is slowly growing into a potential Category 5 Hurricane. The storm has already devastated communities in Haiti and the Dominican Republic and is slated to make landfall in Jamaica sometime over the weekend.

Tropical Storm Melissa has already caused heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and landslides. If the storm intensifies into a hurricane, it could be catastrophic, especially for already overburdened communities.

On Thursday, October 23, Haitian officials issued an Orange Alert for West, Grand’Anse, South, Southeast, and Nippes as Tropical Storm Melissa moved through Haiti’s southern peninsula. Three deaths and five injuries have been reported throughout the region within the last 48 hours.

In the Dominican Republic, Melissa has left over 1.1. million people without drinking water. On Thursday, October 24, Dominican Today reported that 915 people have been displaced, over 183 homes and critical infrastructure have been damaged, and 19 communities have been isolated.

Supermarkets in Jamaica are seeing empty shelves and long lines as people prepare to hunker down and weather the storm.

Government officials, like the Mayor of Portmore, Jamaica, Leon Thomas, are preparing flood-prone communities for the worst potential damage. In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, Mayor Thompson assured residents that city crews are taking proactive steps to mitigate flooding across the municipality. Thompson noted that drain-cleaning efforts began as early as April and that emergency equipment remains on standby to address potential blockages quickly.

The mayor emphasized that illegal construction has significantly contributed to recurring flood problems in some neighborhoods, including Edgewater.

“The residents build beyond their boundary and build on the drain reservation and also on the drain wall that was there. A lot of those drains have collapsed and blocked the free flow of water, causing flooding within the Edgewater community,” he explained.

To address these issues, the municipal corporation has begun serving enforcement notices to residents whose properties obstruct drainage pathways.

“We are going through all these communities and serving notices on them,” the mayor added.

Thompson reaffirmed the city’s commitment to both immediate disaster readiness and long-term infrastructure accountability, urging residents to follow safety guidance as heavy rains continue.

Tropical Storm Melissa Live Updates

Tropical Storm Melissa is moving slowly through the Atlantic Ocean but is expected to make landfall in Jamaica sometime on Friday or Saturday. Eastern Cuba and parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic can also expect heavy rainfall, which could trigger landslides and dangerous conditions.

Live weather forecast of Tropical Storm Melissa via Ventusky.