Many of the dead in Haiti were killed when a river overflowed and flooded dozens of nearby homes in the town of Petit-Goâve. Houses collapsed and people were still trapped under rubble Wednesday morning, according to Mayor Jean Bertrand Subrème.
"I am overwhelmed by the situation," Subrème said, appealing to the government for help to save the victims.
Ten people are still missing.
In Jamaica, four people have died.
"I am sad to announce that four people – three men and one woman – have been confirmed dead by police in the St Elizabeth area," Desmond McKenzie, Jamaica's Minister for Local Government and Community Development, told the BBC .
Meanwhile, reports of major damage from landslides and flooding are coming in. About 77 percent of Jamaica is without power, according to a government spokesperson.
The United States will now send a task force to Jamaica to assess the extent of the aid needs.
In the Dominican Republic, one person has died and one person is missing.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel previously stated on X that over 735,000 people had been evacuated while warning of a "difficult night."
"Hurricane Melissa is still over Cuban territory. I urge our people not to lower their guard," he wrote in a social media post on Wednesday.
Melissa is on its way to the Bahamas on Wednesday evening, Swedish time. The storm is expected to cause extensive damage there as well. On Thursday, Melissa is expected to approach Bermuda, where hurricane warnings have been issued.
Correction: An earlier version of the text contained an incorrect figure regarding the number of deaths.
