Hurricane Melissa and the Moravian Community in Jamaica – the recovery and rebuilding challenge

Introduction

Hurricane Melissa swept through Jamaica on 28 October 2025 as a Category 5 storm. It was the strongest storm in recorded history to ever make landfall on the island with winds reaching 252 miles per hour, surpassing Hurricane Gilbert in 1988.

Melissa left a trail of destruction on the Jamaican Moravian community with extensive damage to church properties, homes and community infrastructure. The western parishes of Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth, where many Moravian congregations are concentrated, experienced some of the most severe destruction. Some historic church sites were reduced to rubble.

This article highlights the scale of the damage, the challenge for rebuilding and restoring the church estate to normal use, and the urgent need to support congregation members whose livelihoods have been disrupted.

Impact Assessment

Work is still in progress to assess the full impact of the hurricane on the island and the Moravian community. A total of 54 deaths were reported across the island, with most of the casualties in the parishes of Westmorland and St Elizabeth. Significant agricultural and infrastructure damage occurred in these regions due to storm surge, flooding, and high wind gusts. The World Bank, in conjunction with the Inter-American Development Bank, assessed the physical damage across residential and non-residential properties, social infrastructure and the agricultural sectors at US$8.8 billion. This is equivalent to 41% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product in 2024 (World Bank, IDB, Estimate Hurricane Melissa Damage to Jamaica Totals All-Time High of US$8.8 billion, Washington, November 19, 2025).

The strong winds and heavy rainfall resulted in extensive and significant damage throughout the Moravian Church province in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. It adversely affected 37 of the 64 congregations which make up the province. The hurricane made landfall in New Hope, Westmoreland, the site of the Moravian Camp. It swept across the parishes of St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, St. James and Manchester. These are areas with a large concentration of Moravians. When the Moravian Church started in Jamaica in the 18th century, the first set of missionaries (Zacharias Caries, Thomas Shallcross and Gotlieb Haberecht) deliberately shunned the towns and opted to serve the large slave populations in these rural settings. St. Elizabeth (Central District Conference) has 19 congregations, while Westmoreland and St James (Western District Conference) have 17 congregations. Out of 36 congregations in the Central and Western District Conferences, five were destroyed and the rest suffered varying levels of damage (Hurricane Impact Update – Moravian Church in Jamaica, October 2025).

The following churches were reduced to rubble – Carmel, Salem, Beaufort, Springfield and Faith Moravian Church. The destruction of these buildings marks the end of an era. Built in 1847, Springfield Moravian Church was one of the oldest congregations and a historic witness to the Moravian presence in Jamaica. The scale of the damage is evident from the image below of Springfield Moravian Church before and after Melissa:

The following table provides a further indication of the nature and scale of the damage. Most of the damage relates to roof loss and structural issues (including windows, doors, electrical infrastructure and water damage).

Recovery Challenge

The damages have left many congregations without safe spaces for worship, ministry and community outreach activities. Beyond church buildings, the hurricane damaged the homes of congregation members, displacing thousands of families and creating urgent need for shelter, food, and clean water. At the time of writing, displacement persists, with around 90,000 households across western and south-central Jamaica (approximately 279,000 people) still unable to return home.

It is estimated that US$6 million will be needed over the coming seven years for the long-term recovery of the Moravian Church in Jamaica following the widespread devastation caused by the hurricane (Hurricane Melissa Appeal, British Province – Moravian Church). Some of the buildings will require full reconstruction and structural reinforcement to meet higher wind standards. There is an urgent need to repair and rebuild uninhabitable manses, stabilise exposed structures, restore essential utilities, and help church members to get back on their feet. Many congregation members have also lost the source of their livelihoods; given the widespread loss of agricultural crops, livestock and household belongings. Relief and recovery efforts so far have been hampered by damage to community infrastructure (roads, utilities, and schools).

Conclusion – How you can help

Hurricane Melissa has brought devastation to the Moravian community in Jamaica. It has left many congregations in crisis and in urgent need of help and support. Funds are urgently needed to help with the restoration and rebuilding of these places of worship, ministry and community life. Funds received will go directly to the Jamaican Province and trusted partners on the ground to ensure that the resources are used efficiently and effectively.

Apart from financial contributions, support in kind and technical assistance would be also welcome. There is a need for structural engineers, builders, building materials and supplies, household supplies, and other practical support.

If you would like to make a donation to support the relief and rebuilding effort, please contact The British Province of the Moravian Church who launched an appeal to provide critical relief to communities and provincial coordination. Funds will be sent through the Moravian Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, and trusted partners.

The direct appeal is available: https://justgiving.com/campaign/hurricanemelissaappeal and through our website www.moravian.org.uk/hurricane-melissa-appeal, or you can contact Moravian Church House at: 020 8883 3409.

If you would like further details about this appeal, please contact Roberta Hoey at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Dr Courtney Smith

Trustee, Mrs E.M. Bates Trust