The World Bank, in coordination with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), estimate that the physical damage to Jamaica caused by Hurricane Melissa totals US$8.8 billion — equivalent to 41 percent of the country’s 2024 GDP— making it the costliest hurricane in Jamaica’s recorded history. The Global Rapid Damage Estimation (GRADE), conducted immediately after the hurricane, assessed physical damage across residential, non-residential, infrastructure, and agricultural sectors. It does not include broader economic losses, which are expected to be even more significant.
