St. Elizabeth Parish, southwestern Jamaica, is the first to be struck by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa. Winds of 185 mph (295 km/h) are tearing through the area, causing severe flooding and destruction.

 

Drone footage shows widespread flood damage and debris across Santa Cruz, Jamaica, as cleanup begins after Hurricane Melissa. pic.twitter.com/adtci1atAy

— AccuWeather (@accuweather) October 29, 2025

AccuWeather's post features drone footage from October 29, 2025, documenting extensive flood damage in Santa Cruz, Jamaica, after Hurricane Melissa's Category 5 landfall the previous day, with 185 mph winds rivaling historic Atlantic storms like Hurricane Allen (1980).

The 46-second video shows mud-choked roads, toppled buildings, uprooted palms, and debris piles, underscoring how Melissa's slow movement amplified rainfall up to 30 inches in some areas, per NOAA data, leading to flash floods that isolated communities.

Amid devastation causing 26 reported deaths in Haiti and Jamaica, the footage captures initial cleanup with bulldozers and residents clearing paths, signaling rapid recovery efforts as the storm weakens toward Cuba.