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Hurricane Melissa cost Jamaica around 30% of GDP, PM estimates

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 11/04/25 03:52 PM EST

KINGSTON (Reuters) -Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Tuesday said that last week's Hurricane Melissa, the strongest-ever storm to hit its shores, caused damage to homes and key infrastructure roughly equivalent to 28% to 32% of last year's gross domestic product.

"I believe this is a conservative estimate, based on the damage we?have?assessed," Holness told lawmakers, adding short-term economic output could decline by 8% to 13%.

The damages will push up Jamaica's debt-to-GDP ratio and put pressure on fiscal targets, he added, saying his government would activate emergency provisions to temporarily suspend the country's fiscal rules.

(Reporting by Zahra Burton and Sarah Morland, Editing by Natalia Siniawski)

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