2 weeks ago
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Hurricane Melissa made landfall on the island of Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane around 1 p.m. Eastern Time, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.
The storm was downgraded to Category 4 several hours after landfall, but it is the most powerful of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season and “one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin.”
Jamaicans have batten down the hatches and braced themselves to weather the storm. Among them are some 45 Belizean students who are sheltering in place on campus in Jamaica. Simone Hill is one such law student who spoke exclusively to LOVE NEWS.
Simone Hill, Belizean Student in Jamaica: “Since about two o’clock we have had the winds intensify along with the rains. It sounds like Halloween, like ghosts’ rattle through here where you have the howling and the rattling and the shaking at the various windows and things like that. There has been reports. I’ve seen videos where I see one of the hall across from area where I am at, the other side of the campus, I see windows flying away and things like that. So the wind really is to its speed and I’m really feeling the effects. Some people with the windows facing east, are experiencing water coming in but that is expected in a hurricane; breeze coming in through the cracks and crevices.”
Anne Marie Williams: “What’s the general mood like there and have you been able to speak to some of the Belizean students? What’s the mood like if you’ve been able to talk with them?”
Simone Hill, Belizean Student in Jamaica: “We have a WhatsApp chat and I have seen people talking and sharing information. For the most part everyone is keeping in the shelters, in other em various halls. I’m looking out every so often through the windows. One person, a young woman expressed that she was scared; that because of the howling and things like that. It is expected I guess and then on my building I spoke with the reps of my block and for the most part they are doing what they can do . It is raining and in the back of my window I can see the street already starting to flood. I see some trees near by me starting to break down across the campus.”
Ann Marie Williams, Reporter: You all have had loss of power, I guess.
Simone Hill, Belizean Student in Jamaica : “Yes we had loss of power and internet for a duration as the hurricane was passing over. But fortunately, where I am at they put on the generator for a short time so that people could recharge devices. It is on right now but I believe they will turn it off so we can conserve gas or whatever.”
Anne Marie Williams: “Okay, Simone, all the best as you all continue to weather the storm and you have our thoughts and prayers, okay?”
Simone Hill, Belizean Student in Jamaica: “Thank you very much, Ann.”
Maximum sustained winds were 185 mph when the hurricane made landfall near New Hope. It later exited the northern coast of western Jamaica.
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