Santa Cruz, Jamaica Is Exploding in Popularity—Here’s What’s Behind the Buzz Right Now

SANTA CRUZ, St. Elizabeth — Hurricane Melissa slammed into Jamaica’s south-west coast overnight, turning the usually bustling market town of Santa Cruz into a landscape of shredded rooftops, ankle-deep mud and toppled utility poles. At least four people are confirmed dead across Jamaica, part of a regional toll that has climbed beyond 30 as the storm barrels toward the Bahamas. Homes along Coke Drive and Newell Road lost entire walls when sustained winds of 110 mph peeled away zinc sheets “like paper,” residents said. “I never see anything like this in all my years living here,” market vendor Jennifer Small told local radio after bailing floodwater from her one-room house. Up the hill, Santa Cruz High School—designated as an emergency shelter—had half its roof torn off, forcing an overnight relocation of more than 70 evacuees. KEY IMPACTS IN SANTA CRUZ • Roads: Landslides block the B6 main road to Black River; alternate coastal route via Parrotee Bay remains impassable due to fallen trees. • Power & Water: Jamaica Public Service reports 90 % of St. Elizabeth parish without electricity; NWC has shut off mains after raw sewage overflowed into drains. • Agriculture: Preliminary assessments by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) show up to 65 % crop loss in the YS Valley vegetable belt, threatening a spike in island-wide produce prices next week. GOVERNMENT & RELIEF RESPONSE Prime Minister Andrew Holness has activated the entire Jamaica Defence Force reserve to clear debris and restore critical corridors within 48 hours. The Office of Disaster Preparedness & Emergency Management (ODPEM) opened a temporary command post at the Santa Cruz Police Station, where residents can file missing-persons reports or request supplies between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. • Emergency hotline: 888-CALL-ODPEM • Shelters: Santa Cruz Primary, Maggotty High, Junction Community Centre • Donation portals: Food For the Poor, Jamaica Red Cross (accepting online transfers and non-perishables) WHAT’S NEXT The Meteorological Service has issued a flash-flood warning through Thursday evening as feeder bands continue to dump rain over the Santa Cruz Mountains. Although Hurricane Melissa is forecast to clear Jamaican waters by dawn, forecasters caution that river levels could rise rapidly with every additional inch of rainfall. TRAVEL & TOURISM All flights into nearby Sangster International remain cancelled until at least 6 a.m. Friday, stranding hundreds of tourists in Montego Bay resorts. Route taxi operators that serve Santa Cruz have suspended service indefinitely; travelers are urged to delay non-essential journeys. SEO TAKEAWAY Readers searching for “Santa Cruz Jamaica hurricane,” “St Elizabeth flooding,” or “Hurricane Melissa damage” can find continuing live updates, safety resources and recovery information here as the clean-up unfolds.