Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared Jamaica a “disaster area” after Hurricane Melissa barrelled across the Caribbean island as one of the most powerful storms on record, leaving behind a trail of devastation.

More than two dozen people have died in Haiti as Hurricane Melissa is expected to inflict additional damage on Caribbean islands after making landfall in Jamaica Tuesday

In Haiti, 25 people have died after a river burst its banks during Hurricane Melissa. The storm hit Jamaica yesterday, leaving 77% of the island without power. This morning, it swept across Cuba. The extent of the damage across the Caribbean is not yet known.

Cubans have waded through flooded houses and authorities in Haiti reported 20 dead as Hurricane Melissa blasted across the Caribbean after devastating swathes of Jamaica. The storm made landfall in Cuba overnight,

Tropical Storm Melissa is lumbering through the Caribbean Sea and bringing a risk of dangerous landslides and life-threatening flooding to Jamaica and southern Hispaniola.

Hurricane Melissa has intensified to a Category 4 storm, prompting Caribbean countries including Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and the Bahamas to evacuate low-lying areas. Record rainfall is expected, with authorities preparing for floods and landslides.

Melissa’s 185 mph winds rival the most intense Atlantic storms on record. The Category 5 hurricane is threatening Jamaica with a storm surge of up to 13 feet.

SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba (AP) — Hurricane Melissa left dozens dead and widespread destruction across Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica, where roofless homes, fallen utility poles and water-logged furniture dominated the landscape Wednesday.