On November 2, 2025, GRI’s Founding Director Dr. Stephen Flynn joined The Weather Channel to discuss the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica and the long road to recovery ahead.

Dr. Flynn compared the widespread destruction to that seen in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, noting that all the critical infrastructure: roads, hospitals, power, and internet, came crashing down with the storm. When these systems fail simultaneously, he explained, restarting recovery operations becomes exponentially harder.

Tourism, which makes up roughly one-third of Jamaica’s economy and employs a similar share of its population, will also be severely affected. A big portion of the island where tourism is concentrated is just where the storm struck,” said Dr. Flynn. “Losing a third of your economy is a huge challenge to overcome.” 

Amid the devastation, he highlighted Jamaica’s innovative use of a catastrophe bond, a type of insurance policy that triggers an immediate payout when a storm of a certain intensity hits. “A big part of effective recovery is planning for that recovery and having some of the funding to get that plans underway,” he said. “And so, the Jamaican government did that.” About $150 million will be made available to reopen roads, power hospitals, and provide lifeline services.

Still, with only about 20 percent of Jamaican properties insured, Dr. Flynn underscored the need for sustained international assistance.

Watch Dr. Flynn’s full interview on The Weather Channel here:

Full Video