In Jamaica, a year after Hurricane Melissa, reconstruction drags on and the victims are getting impatient

A year after Hurricane Melissa devastated Parottee, Jamaica, residents still struggle with the aftermath. Gwendolyn McRae, 81, notes that this is the first time they received free water from authorities since the disaster. The village, once vibrant, now shows signs of destruction, with many homes in ruins and gardens buried under sand and debris. The cyclone, which struck on October 28, 2025, caused extensive damage across Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba, with winds exceeding 300 km/h and heavy rainfall.