Communities across the Caribbean are reeling in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, which ripped through Jamaica, Cuba and Hispaniola, the island comprising Haiti and the Dominican Republic, this week. While officials said that damage assessments remained underway to determine the full scope of the destruction,

Hurricane Melissa has hit southwestern Jamaica as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, causing heavy flooding and wind damage.

At least 19 people died as a result from Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, the country's information minister told Reuters, bringing the total confirmed death toll from the storm to at least 44.

A Jamaican woman living in the UK said "there's lots to give thanks for" after an anxious wait to hear from family in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. At least five people have been confirmed dead on the island following the category five storm this week. At least another 20 died during flooding in Haiti.

Samaritan's Purse sent its first relief airlift to Jamaica on Thursday in the aftermath of the disastrous Hurricane Melissa, which hit Jamaica and other Caribbean nations this week. (Courtesy of Samar

As airports in Jamaica slowly reopen following Hurricane Melissa, relief efforts are also beginning to pour into the island. From a private hangar at Miami International Airport, one of the first planes bound for Kingston was loaded with hundreds of pounds of supplies coordinated by reggae superstar Norville "Shaggy" Rogers.

Hannah Grubbs, a content creator with over 150,000 followers on TikTok, has been criticized over her Hurricane Melissa videos.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as one of the most powerful storms in history and, while the storm has weakened, it is currently making its way toward Bermuda. The National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory Melissa is located about 215 miles northeast of the central Bahamas with maximum sustained winds around 105 mph with higher gusts,