28 Floridians rescued from Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa's devastation

Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald on Nov 1, 2025

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MIAMI — As Jamaica slowly recovers from the most catastrophic hurricane to hit the country, more than two dozen Floridians stranded there have been rescued and returned home Saturday afternoon, officials said.

Hurricane Melissa killed at least 19 people in Jamaica and left thousands in the country without power, water or internet. It leveled entire neighborhoods, including multiple hospitals. Amongst the wreckage, 28 Floridians were caught in the storm and left stranded.

Around 3 p.m. Saturday, Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on X that a rescue flight had landed in Tampa with those Floridians who had been in Jamaica. The Florida Division of Emergency Management and other officials have been devising a plan to rescue the 28 since they learned of their presence in Jamaica on Thursday.

Melissa made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane at 1 p.m. Tuesday in the town of New Hope on the southwestern tip of Jamaica.

The hurricane also ravished Haiti and Cuba. The death toll in Haiti climbed to at least 30 people with 20 more still missing. Melissa doused the region with rain, submerging farms and triggering fatal floods.

While no deaths have been reported in Cuba, 735,000 people were evacuated before Melissa hit five provinces that exposed more than 3 million people to deadly conditions.