Jamaicans are beginning to pick up the pieces after category five monster Hurricane Melissa tore across the Caribbean Island country on Tuesday, Oct. 28. And while the country’s largest city, Kingston, was spared the worst of the storm, its biggest airport wasn’t so lucky.
Footage shared online shows devastating impacts for Sangster International Airport, with parts of the terminal’s roof torn open and rainwater flooding the building. Located in Montego Bay, Sangster served over 5,000,000 passengers in 2024, with many of its customers being international tourists visiting resorts on the northern coast of the country.
According to a Jamaican officials, it’s unclear when the airport will be able to resume service. “We’re not sure what will happen with Montego Bay… so we are unable to say anything on Sangster but we know it could have a potentially disabling impact for that airport,” Transportation Minister Daryl Vaz said in a press conference.
Video from The Weather Channel shows the extend of the hurricane’s impact on the airport:
Country’s Second Airport Saw Less Impact
Jamaica’s Norman Manley International Airport, located in the capital city of Kingston, was spared the worst of Melissa’s wrath. Although it remains closed as of publication, Jamaican officials say it is expected to reopen for relief flights on Thursday. According to The Jamaica Observer, regular passenger service is likely to resume Friday or Saturday.
Norman Manley is a smaller airport, with a 2024 passenger capacity of less than 2 million.
Full Scope of Damage Just Beginning to Come Into Focus
As the powerful storm finally moved offshore, officials and residents were beginning to asses the hurricane’s true impact. While its most populous areas saw relatively less impact, there were devastating impacts in the country’s south and west where the eye of the storm came ashore. Videos from Montego Bay showed catastrophic damage, while some areas were still unreachable by officials. With electricity and telecommunications services disrupted, more information about the damage—as well as injuries or fatalities—was still forthcoming.
St. Elizabeth this morning.
The aftermath.#TrackingMelissa #HurricaneMelissa #Jamaica @CVMTV pic.twitter.com/TqHlCG9zra
— Giovanni R. Dennis (@GiovanniRDennis) October 29, 2025
“It looks really, really difficult in many parts of Jamaica and it is very difficult,” said Jamaica’s information minister Dana Morris Dixon, in a press conference. “The images we’re getting are really devastating. But as always, I’ve always said it, we’re a strong people. We’re a resilient people. And we will get through this together.”
We are safe finally able to connect to starlink. The damage here is catastrophic, I wouldn’t wish yesterday on my worst enemy. Some of the scariest moments of my life. pic.twitter.com/tbPq6unLzb
— Panthers 13-4 (@rj_smith_3) October 29, 2025
Hurricane Melissa Moves on
After leaving Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa restrengthened before making landfall in eastern Cuba on Wednesday. It is expected to impact the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos this week before tracking close to Bermuda.
