Jamaica: Hurricane Melissa Recovery Chronicle
28 October 2025 – 15 October 2026 | English | Chronological record
October 2025 — Landfall and emergency response
28 October 2025 — Hurricane Melissa strikes Jamaica. The Category 5 hurricane caused catastrophic damage across the island, with western parishes among the hardest hit. The disaster disrupted homes, transport, utilities, agriculture and businesses.
29 October 2025 — Jamaica declared a disaster area. The Government formally declared the entire island a disaster area, enabling emergency measures and coordinated relief operations.
30 October 2025 — All-clear issued; restoration begins. Following advice from Jamaica’s meteorological and disaster-management authorities, the Government issued an all-clear and called on utility companies to begin restoring electricity, water, communications and essential services. Officials cautioned residents about continuing hazards, including floodwater, debris and downed power lines.
November–December 2025 — Emergency aid and damage assessments
3 November 2025 — Food relief expands. The Ministry of Labour and Social Security reported that more than 30,000 food packages had been delivered, alongside water, tarpaulins and other relief supplies.
6 November 2025 — More than 36,000 food packages delivered. ODPEM reported that relief operations were supplying food, water, medical supplies and hygiene kits. At the time, 184 shelters remained open, serving approximately 2,487 displaced people.
21 November 2025 — Household assessments continue. The Government reported that damage assessments and food distributions were continuing, with assessments intended to identify affected households and establish their needs.
10 December 2025 — Government reports large-scale food assistance. The Government reported spending J$225.1 million on food procurement through 9 December. More than 340,000 food packages had been distributed, while humanitarian partners had also provided millions of hot meals.
January–March 2026 — Housing, schools and reconstruction
9 January 2026 — J$10 billion allocated for housing recovery. The Government announced a J$10 billion allocation for grants to households whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Melissa.
14 January 2026 — Electricity restoration reaches approximately 92–93%. The energy minister reported that 491,000 of the 542,000 customers who had lost power had been reconnected.
15 January 2026 — Shelter Recovery Programme launched. The programme was established to coordinate reconstruction and rehabilitation assistance for affected households. By 9 January, 69,085 household assessments had been completed.
14 January 2026 — Schools resume operations. The Ministry of Education subsequently confirmed that all schools had resumed operations, although this did not mean that every damaged school had been fully repaired.
6 February 2026 — Agricultural recovery funding announced. The Government announced a J$100 million programme for banana and plantain farmers, intended to assist approximately 5,000 farmers and rehabilitate more than 2,500 hectares of damaged farmland.
10 February 2026 — Housing assistance payments begin. The Government reported that ROOFS payments for severely damaged homes had commenced. Fifty beneficiaries had received digital-voucher assistance, and 1,234 households had received direct deposits.
4 March 2026 — Jamaica officially enters the reconstruction phase. The Prime Minister announced the transition from the immediate response and service-restoration phase toward long-term rebuilding. The Government reported electricity restoration at 98% and water restoration at 97%.
15 March 2026 — More than 100,000 household damage assessments reported. The Government reported progress in identifying affected households to support the distribution of recovery assistance.
18 March 2026 — J$67 billion in hurricane-response expenditure outlined. The Government reported allocations across infrastructure, utilities, housing, tourism, agriculture, education, health and other sectors. The total included a J$24 billion loan to Jamaica Public Service.
31 March 2026 — ROOFS grant levels documented. The Government published the programme's assistance levels: J$75,000 for minor damage, J$200,000 for major damage and up to J$500,000 for severe damage. The programme allocation was J$10 billion.
April–June 2026 — Recovery review and economic rebuilding
21 April 2026 — Red Cross calls for sustained, community-led recovery. The IFRC and Jamaica Red Cross warned that recovery would require continued support for housing, livelihoods and essential services. Their report estimated damage at US$8.8 billion, equivalent to 56% of Jamaica's GDP.
4–6 May 2026 — National review of the disaster response. Government agencies and international partners conducted an after-action review to identify strengths, gaps and lessons for future disaster preparedness and coordination. The review cited an estimate of J$1.952 trillion (US$12.2 billion) in damage and losses.
7 May 2026 — Tourism recovery figures released. The Ministry of Tourism reported that approximately 89% of attractions had reopened and 75% of hotel rooms had returned to service. Recovery remained uneven, particularly in heavily affected western and south-western areas.
10 June 2026 — Government details the J$67 billion allocation. The Finance Minister outlined spending and allocations across ministries, including housing grants, infrastructure, tourism, agriculture, health, education and utilities. These figures describe government allocations and expenditure, not a claim that all rebuilding had been completed.
30 June 2026 — Development partners coordinate recovery support. The Government and international development partners met in Kingston to coordinate assistance and support a unified national recovery effort. The meeting was reported by the United Nations on 1 July.
July–September 2026 — Housing and reconstruction continue
22 July 2026 — 507 roofs repaired under Phase One of a government-led programme. ODPEM reported that the first phase of the roof-repair initiative had repaired 507 hurricane-damaged roofs, using donated funds and building materials. The agency also acknowledged documentation gaps and described measures intended to strengthen oversight.
26 August 2026 — ROOFS enters Phase Two. The Government reported 118,365 household assessments, close to J$11 billion disbursed or provided in materials, and assistance reaching 50,000 families. Phase Two placed greater emphasis on verification and improving delivery.
3 September 2026 — Contracts signed for semi-permanent housing. The Government signed contracts for housing in Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth, with further procurement planned for Hanover, St. James and Trelawny. The signing marked a project milestone; it did not establish that the homes had already been completed or occupied.
14 September 2026 — School-repair progress reported. The Ministry of Education reported that 65 of 306 priority-one schools had been fully repaired. Another 93 were between 80% and 99% complete, while 26 severely damaged schools were scheduled for completion by the end of December.
22 September 2026 — US$5 million reconstruction-capacity grant formalised. The Government and World Bank formalised a European Union grant to strengthen planning, project management and technical capacity for Jamaica's national reconstruction programme. The funding was intended for institutional capacity, not direct cash payments to individuals.
October 2026 — One year after the disaster
1 October 2026 — Tourism recovery remains incomplete. The Associated Press reported that around 20 hotels remained closed, visitor arrivals were down 17% and tourism revenue was down 18%. The report cited estimated damage of US$12 billion and highlighted delayed or disputed insurance settlements as a major obstacle to recovery.
6 October 2026 — J$500 million business-restoration programme launched. The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce launched a grant programme for eligible micro, small and medium-sized businesses and self-employed people whose productive assets had been damaged. Applications were announced as open through 16 November.
9 October 2026 — Insurance regulator prepares a verified claims update. The Financial Services Commission said it was examining the number and value of claims settled, amounts paid and outstanding, and reasons for delays. It targeted 16 October for publication of its assessment.
12 October 2026 — Insurers report J$54.35 billion in payments. The Insurance Association of Jamaica reported that 8,357 of 9,340 claims in its reported categories had been settled as of 30 September. It reported 89.5% settlement overall across those categories, with lower rates for residential, commercial and engineering claims. These industry figures should not be treated as proof that all affected households and businesses had received full compensation.
14 October 2026 — National Recovery Strategy reported as well advanced. The Planning Institute of Jamaica reported progress on a national strategy to guide longer-term recovery, with attention to resilient infrastructure, planning and community disaster-risk management.