Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, has declared the town of Black River the nation’s “ground zero” following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa. The storm, packing winds of 185 mph (295 km/h), made landfall on Tuesday, striking the island’s southwest coast with full force.
Tragically, at least 19 lives have been lost in Jamaica due to the hurricane, with search and rescue operations still underway. BBC Verify’s Nick Beake has been examining the harrowing footage and photographs emerging from this heavily impacted community, offering a glimpse into the immediate aftermath.
Video by Meiying Wu
More on Hurricane Melissa
- ‘Everything’s gone’ – BBC finally able to access one of Jamaica’s worst-hit areas
- Hurricane Melissa floods and destroys towns across Caribbean
- Hurricane Melissa drone footage shows destroyed homes and towns under water
- Hurricane Melissa – what we know about the damage in Jamaica
- Watch: Aftermath of Hurricane Melissa as Montego Bay devastated
- Flooded streets, inundated cars and tangled power lines – Jamaicans assess damage
- Strong winds and flying debris as Hurricane Melissa makes landfall
- Watch: Storm chasers fly inside the eye of Hurricane Melissa
- Watch: Satellite video shows Hurricane Melissa intensifying near Jamaica