POST-WEATHER assessments confirm that Hurricane Melissa now ranks not only as the strongest storm on record to strike Jamaica, but also the costliest, with the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) placing total damage, losses and associated costs at nearly $2 trillion — several billions more than previously projected.
PIOJ Director General Dr Wayne Henry, in his review of economic performance for the October to December 2025 quarter, said updated tabulations show the Category Five system caused losses four times greater than those for Hurricane Gilbert in 1988.
“Damage, losses and additional cost associated with the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28, 2025, was estimated at $1.952 trillion (US$12.232 billion). This is equivalent to 56.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024. This figure represents more than four times that of Hurricane Gilbert — previously the costliest hurricane in Jamaica’s history,” Henry said during a virtual media briefing.
