Hurricane Melissa devastated parts of the northern Caribbean this week, claiming at least 29 lives across Haiti and Jamaica before accelerating northeast toward Bermuda as a Category 2 storm with 105 mph winds.
The storm struck Jamaica on Tuesday as the strongest hurricane to directly hit the island, packing sustained winds of 185 mph.
Satellite imagery revealed widespread destruction in Jamaica, with defoliated trees and demolished structures in hardest-hit areas.
Over 70 percent of Jamaica's power customers remained without electricity Thursday morning, with more than 130 roads blocked by debris, trees, and downed lines.
At least 25 deaths were confirmed in Haiti, including 10 children, while four fatalities were reported in Jamaica, four of them in St. Elizabeth Parish.
The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands endured dangerous gusts and heavy rain as the storm passed nearby.
In Jamaica's Montego Bay, 77-year-old resident Alfred Hines waded barefoot through thick mud after escaping rising floodwaters that reached his neck.
Military personnel cleared roadways on foot to reach isolated communities, with ambulances following to provide aid.
Many schools in Kingston lacked power or water, officials said.
Located about 515 miles northeast of the storm's last position, Bermuda expected Melissa to pass northwest of the island Thursday evening without landfall.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center forecasted the hurricane to weaken on Friday after accelerating northeastward.
Bermuda planned to close its causeway Thursday night and shut schools and ferries Friday out of caution.
National Security Minister Michael Weeks urged residents to remain vigilant, check on neighbors, and avoid roads until safe.