Pregnant Woman Among Those Killed By Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica – An 18-year-old pregnant woman is among the 19 people reportedly killed when Hurricane Melissa, the category 5 storm slammed into the island on Tuesday, the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper reported on Friday.

It said that the eight-month pregnant Monique Coke was with her mother and younger brother in their two-bedroom wooden house in Waterworks, Petersfield, a small town in Westmoreland Parish, when it collapsed during the passage of the hurricane.

The paper quoted an official at the Savanna-La-Mar Public General Hospital as saying that the woman was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the Jamaica government reported that the death toll from the storm had risen to 19.

Meanwhile, the government is cautioning members of the public, both locally and internationally, to be on high alert for fraudulent websites attempting to exploit their generosity in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Science, Technology and Special Projects, Dr. Andrew Wheatley, said the Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (JaCIRT) had identified multiple fake websites seeking to divert relief donations.

“In fact, up to last night, we had identified eight such sites, and just now that number has increased to 28. These sites are attempting to redirect contributions and donations away from legitimate sources.”

Dr. Wheatley said that the fraudulent websites are deliberately designed with names similar to Jamaica’s official donation portal. Some of the domains identified include jamaicahurricanehelp.net, melissareliefjamaica.com, and supportjamaicagovjm.net, among others.

“The key difference is that all official government websites end with gov.jm. These fraudulent sites are at varying stages of development, and JaCIRT suspects they may become active in the coming days,” he said, adding that the only legitimate government website for Hurricane Melissa relief donations is supportjamaica.gov.jm, developed by the Government of Jamaica.

Wheatley is urging the public to verify any donation website before entering personal or financial information, and to report suspicious sites immediately to JaCIRT at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Donors are also encouraged to type the web address directly into their browser, avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails or social media messages, and ensure the site displays https:// along with a padlock icon.

“Hurricane Melissa has caused significant damage across the island, and the need for legitimate assistance is real and urgent. By staying vigilant against these scams, we can ensure that charitable donations reach the Jamaican people who desperately need support,” the Minister said.

“The Government of Jamaica recognizes and deeply appreciates the global outpouring of support during this difficult time. We urge all international donors to exercise caution and use only the official government portal. Your generosity should reach those who need it most, not criminal enterprises,” Dr. Wheatly said.

The Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team continues to actively monitor the digital landscape for additional fraudulent domains and is working closely with international cybersecurity partners and domain registrars to shut down these malicious operations, according to a government statement on Friday.

Former finance minister, Dr.  Nigel Clarke, says while Jamaica is well prepared, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stands ready to support in the recovery effort if needed.

Clarke, who is now the IMF’s Deputy Managing Director said the hurricane “has left deep scars on my beloved Jamaica & across the Caribbean – families displaced, livelihoods destroyed, and communities left in pain. My thoughts are with all affected”.

Earlier, the IMF Managing Director,  Kristalina Georgieva, wrote on X, that her “heart goes out to those across the Caribbean affected by Hurricane Melissa.

“The loss of lives and devastation are heartbreaking. The Fund stands ready to help as countries begin the path to recovery after this tragic event,” she added.

Finance Minister Fayval Williams said based on the level of damage sustained, Jamaica will have immediate access to J$5.3 billion from the Contingency Fund.