Hurricane Melissa Hits JamaicaCEFR B1
9 Jan 2026
Adapted from Candice Stewart, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by David Anderson, Unsplash
Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on October 28, 2025, after developing over very warm ocean waters. The storm was described as massive, with unprecedented wind speeds and sharp pressure drops. The Caribbean lives through the Atlantic hurricane season for many months each year, and communities faced severe damage this time.
I volunteered with the Jamaica Red Cross and with members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in several parishes, including Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James, Trelawny and St. Elizabeth. Volunteering helped me turn anxiety into action while I worried for family and friends in affected areas.
The damage I saw included roads that had broken away, houses without roofs, streets flooded like rivers, flipped containers, broken water tanks and downed light posts. Relief teams distributed food, water, hygiene packages, cleaning kits, solar lights and shelter items. Many people urged stronger disaster preparedness and more resilient housing as recovery continues.
Difficult words
- hurricane — A very large storm with strong winds.
- unprecedented — Never seen before; very unusual or extreme.
- volunteer — To offer to help without being paid.volunteered, Volunteering
- parish — A local church area or administrative district.parishes
- distribute — To give out items to many people.distributed
- resilient — Able to recover quickly after damage.
- preparedness — The state of being ready for emergencies.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever helped as a volunteer after a natural disaster? What did you do and how did it feel?
- What changes could make houses more resilient to storms in your community?
- How can communities improve disaster preparedness before the hurricane season?
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