KINGSTON, Jamaica — Residents of seven low-lying and exposed communities have been ordered to leave their homes after Prime Minister Andrew Holness invoked the Disaster Risk Management Act as Hurricane Melissa intensified into a Category 4 storm.
The Disaster Risk Management (Hurricane Melissa) Evacuation Order, 2025, was issued under section 26(2)(c) of the Act on the advice of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and took effect immediately, the Jamaica Information Service reported on October 26.
Communities named in the order
The mandatory evacuation applies to:
- Port Royal, Kingston
- Portland Cottage, Clarendon
- Rocky Point, Clarendon
- Old Harbour Bay, St Catherine
- Taylor Land, Bull Bay, St Andrew
- New Haven, St Andrew
- Riverton City, St Andrew
Most of the listed areas sit on the coast or on low ground where storm surge and flooding pose the greatest threat to life. The order builds on an earlier instrument made on October 24, which declared the whole island a threatened area after the system, then a tropical storm, began its approach. The evacuation order will stay in force for as long as that threatened-area declaration remains active.
Why the legal step matters
Evacuation advisories are routine before major storms, but a formal order under the Act gives the authorities a clearer legal basis to move people out of harm’s way. Officials have repeatedly urged residents in vulnerable zones to relocate to relatives on higher ground or to designated shelters rather than attempt to ride out the storm at home.
What homeowners and tenants should do
Anyone living in the named communities should leave as instructed, taking identification, land titles or tenancy papers, insurance documents and medication in waterproof bags. Photographing the home and its contents before departure can simplify insurance or relief claims later. Landlords with tenants in the affected areas should confirm that occupants have somewhere safe to go. The order is also a stark reminder, for buyers and investors, that coastal and flood-prone locations carry risks that should be weighed carefully when choosing where to purchase or build.
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