Hurricane Melissa Damages Estimated at US$7Bn, Slow Recovery Underway

  • Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, on November 4, 2025, noted that last week's Hurricane Melissa caused US$6Bn to US$7Bn in damage to homes and key infrastructure, roughly equivalent to 28% to 32% of last year's gross domestic product (GDP). Holness noted the estimate was conservative, based on damages assessed so far, and short-term economic output could decline by 8% to 13%.
  • He also announced that donations to the Government of Jamaica's Hurricane Melissa Relief Fund have exceeded US$1Mn (J$170Mn), an improvement on the US$728,000 and J$38Mn reached on November 2nd, according to Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Dr Dana Morris Dixon. The government noted that all funds collected will be directed toward emergency relief, housing reconstruction, healthcare support, and long-term economic recovery.
  • Outside of this, under an MP-driven support programme, J$10Mn will be allocated to each constituency in the parishes most severely affected by the hurricane, including St Elizabeth, Hanover, St James, Westmoreland, Manchester, and Trelawny. Constituencies in St Ann and Clarendon will receive J$5Mn each, while all other constituencies across the island will receive J$3Mn.
  • In terms of recovery efforts, the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) reported that 206,000 of its 550,000 customers have had their power restored. The Government has also tasked JPS with examining the feasibility of relocating sections of its electricity grid underground as it undertakes restoration work in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. The National Water Commission (NWC) has also restored access to 65% of its customer base and is aiming to restore access to 80% before the end of the week.
  • In addition, the prime minister revealed that the National Housing Trust (NHT) has activated a comprehensive support package for its contributors and mortgage holders affected by Hurricane Melissa. This includes a six-month moratorium on mortgage payments for persons in the worst-affected parishes; a special home improvement loan of up to J$3.5Mn at an interest rate of 2%; and a special grant of up to $500,000 to contributors whose homes, or those of their immediate family members, were damaged by the hurricane.
  • While the full extent of Hurricane Melissa's impact is still being assessed, authorities say the road to recovery will be long, but the nation's resilience and unity will guide the rebuilding process.

(Sources: JIS and Reuters)