People across the northern Caribbean were digging out from the destruction of Hurricane Melissa on Thursday as deaths from the catastrophic storm climbed.

Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane around 1 p.m. ET yesterday as the strongest hurricane in the island's history. Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the country a disaster area, with St. Elizabeth Parish reported to be "underwater."

Category 5 Hurricane Melissa has made landfall already in Jamaica and Cuba, as one of the strongest hurricanes to ever make landfall.

Hurricane Melissa barreled into Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm with some of the fastest winds and strongest intensities ever recorded. The storm blew through the Caribbean island’s southwestern coast,