The massive destruction left by Hurricane Melissa has reignited calls for stronger climate action as experts warn that Jamaica’s vulnerability to extreme weather is worsening. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Category 5 storm generated more than 4.8 million tons of debris — four times the country’s annual waste collection — while displacing over 30,000 people. UNDP officials say the devastation underscores the growing impacts of climate change on small island nations like Jamaica, which are facing increasingly severe hurricanes, floods, and droughts.

Land of wood, water and debris 

Melissa rubble quadruples NSWMA’S solid waste disposals for a year

Jamaica Gleaner/8 Nov 2025

HURRICANE MELISSA has left more than 4.8 million tons of debris strewn across Jamaica, blocking roads and cutting off access to schools, hospitals, farms and markets, according to satellite-based analysis from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The Category 5 storm struck the island on October 28, damaging tens of thou- sands of homes, particularly in St Elizabeth and Westmoreland, where entire towns were decimated and up to 90 per cent of buildings were impacted.

UNDP’S Ai-driven model estimates that as many as 32,500 people may have been internally displaced.

“Entire communities are surrounded by debris,” said Kishan Khoday, UNDP resi- dent representative in Jamaica. “Debris removal is critical to kick-start early recov- ery, restore safe access to homes and infra- structure, and revive essential services. We need to act fast because delay means blocked roads, vital services at a standstill, lost income and increased suffering.”

The debris – enough to fill approxi- mately 480,000 standard truckloads – includes an estimated 2.1 million tons of building waste, 1.3 million tons of veg- etation, and 1.4 million tons of personal property.

To put that in perspective, Jamaica’s formal waste collection systems handled just 1.2 million tons of solid waste in all of 2024, according to the Economic and Social Survey Jamaica. Even with the addition of 50 specialised vehicles to the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), the country managed to collect just over one million tons of solid waste last year – less than a quarter of the debris now esti- mated from Hurricane Melissa.

UNDP said the current figures are minimum estimates based on data from UNOSAT and Copernicus and are expected to rise as further assessments are completed.

IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

The agency warned that the scale of destruction underscores the intensifying impacts of climate change and the growing vulnerability of small island developing states to severe hurricanes, floods and droughts.

As global leaders gather for COP30 this week, UNDP is urging increased investment in disaster risk reduction and preparedness.

UNDP also stressed the urgent need for donor financing to support early recov- ery efforts, including debris clearance, infrastructure repairs and restoration of livelihoods.

With a 50-year presence in Jamaica, UNDP said it is supporting national recov- ery efforts through damage assessments and planning to restore jobs, rebuild infra- structure and ensure access to essential services.

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