Hurricane Melissa— one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded—is now off Cuba’s eastern coast, after leaving a trail of destruction across the large island and its much smaller neighbor, Jamaica.

The State Department activated a Caribbean disaster response team following Hurricane Melissa's devastating impact on Jamaica, with teams arriving Thursday to provide aid.

Hurricane Melissa has caused widespread destruction across the Caribbean, leaving at least seven dead and thousands more displaced and in the dark. The International Federation of the Red Cross previously said up to 1.

Hurricane Melissa has wreaked havoc on several Caribbean islands, as WPTV is putting a spotlight on the resilience and strength of community members with family ties to Jamaica.

The storm left widespread destruction and at least dozens of deaths in its path. In Chicago, people are looking for ways to help.

From his Donna’s Caribbean Restaurant in Margate, Karl Gordon was hungry for updates from Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa made landfall at about 1 p.m. Tuesday in New Hope.

Hurricane Melissa barreled into Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm with some of the fastest winds and strongest intensities ever recorded. The storm blew through the Caribbean island’s southwestern coast,

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm with wind gusts over 200 mph, leaving 77% of the island without power and nearly 25,000 tourists stranded due to airport closures.