The aftermath of Hurricane Melissa's fierce impact is being felt as United Nations aid organizations brace to deliver essential supplies, pending the reopening of Jamaica’s airports.

Despite the island's struggles, Haiti is reportedly prepared with resources to support up to 86,000 individuals.

Ascending to a daunting altitude of approximately 2,500 feet, Melissa unleashed winds reaching up to 215 miles per hour.

This formidable force was recorded by hurricane hunter aircraft just before the storm made its destructive entry into Jamaica.

Alongside powerful winds, torrential rainfall for several days has escalated the threat to residents and an estimated 25,000 tourists on the island.

The financial toll in Jamaica could be staggering, with property damages projected between $5 billion and $10 billion according to Cotality, a property intelligence firm.

More vulnerable than larger enterprises like hotels, households and small businesses face critical challenges due to insurance coverage gaps.

Firas Saleh from Moody’s highlights potential "severe financial and social disruption" in these sectors.

Local reports highlight Melissa's devastating impact on St. Elizabeth Parish along Jamaica’s southwest coast.

Dramatic images captured by the Jamaica Observer showcase buildings stripped of roofs and streets inundated with turbulent floodwaters.

Even Kingston experienced sporadic flooding and heavy gusts that toppled billboards.

This marks the most potent Atlantic storm since Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas in 2019 with similar wind speeds of 185 miles per hour, noted Phil Klotzbach from Colorado State University.

Klotzbach pointed out that records do not indicate any previous storm of this strength striking Jamaica since record-keeping began in 1851.

The prior record-holder was Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, arriving as a Category 4 storm with winds around 132 miles per hour.

Of all hurricanes hitting U.S. soil at Category 5 status, only the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 matched Melissa’s extreme force; others like Camille (1969), Andrew (1992), and Michael (2018) fell short of matching such intensity as per records from the U.S.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Tragically, Hurricane Melissa has claimed at least seven lives across the Caribbean so far-including three fatalities reported in Haiti-and currently threatens about 3.5 million people throughout its path as indicated by estimates from global disaster monitoring agencies coordinated by both the United Nations and European Union.