Hurricane Melissa made history as the strongest storm to ever hit Jamaica in recorded history. The Category 5 storm ripped through the island on October 28 with winds of 185 mph, causing widespread damage, flooding, and power outages.
Officials are now just beginning to assess the extent of the destruction, which includes damages to the many hotels and resorts across the island.
About 25,000 tourists were in Jamaica when Melissa hit, Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s tourism minister, told the New York Times. Many travelers sheltered in place at their hotels and resorts.
At sister resort brands Sandals and Beaches, guests and staff sheltered at numerous properties across the island. “We are grateful to share that all guests and team members staying at our resorts are safe,” the companies said on Wednesday evening.
Here’s a look at how some of the resorts held up across Jamaica.
Images from travelers on X showed some roof damage to Sandals South Coast in White House, which was near where the hurricane made landfall.
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The oceanfront resort appears to be one of the hardest hotels hit, at least from what travelers are sharing on social media.
“It’s going to be a long road to recovery for this precious resort and the amazing staff that work here,” said Instagram user @travelswithamandat in a caption accompanying photos of the hurricane’s aftermath, which showed a flipped food truck, uprooted palm trees, and pieces of roof that had been blown off the building.
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The wedding chapel at Sandals South Coast was also completely swept away.
Aerial photos from above the White House area showed the storm’s catastrophic impact.
Instagram user @katenguyenpcg shared video from inside the Secrets Wild Orchid in Montego Bay, where she was sheltering.
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At Grand Palladium Jamaica in Point Lucea, guest Delphine Lassi posted video that thankfully showed only light damage to landscaping, with palm branches splayed across the grounds.
Around the corner at sister resort Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort & Spa, guests were helping to clear debris around the resort’s grounds after the storm passed, according to a Facebook video from Deon Vella.
“This is an experience they will never forget. They’ve now bonded with the island on a deeper level,” Facebook user Mnpalmer Nicole commented on the video. “This is how all Jamaicans come out and help after a hurricane. They’ve just caught a bit of the island vibe.”
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