Hurricane Melissa death toll climbs to 46 across Caribbean as recovery begins

Hurricane Melissa’s death toll climbed to 46 on Friday, days after the record-breaking storm barreled through the Caribbean and left behind a wake of destruction.

The death toll in Jamaica rose to 19 by Friday morning, Dana Morris Dixon, the country’s minister for education, skills, youth and information, said at a Friday press conference.

Dixon suggested that the death count will grow, saying, “We do expect that number will change today.”

“Every single life that is lost is a huge tragedy, and so I know that these numbers are distressing, but know that we’re doing our best to retrieve the bodies and provide support to those families that need it,” she said.

Beyond Jamaica, the storm killed 26 people in Haiti and one person died in the Dominican Republic, according to officials.

The number of deaths climbed as the scope of the storm’s destruction became clear.

Satellite imagery shows entire communities swept away by floodwater and wind.

Videos on social media show Jamaican towns completely consumed by mudslides and swaths of downed trees and power lines. One video shows Jamaicans canoeing home through flooded roads in Salt Marsh.

Jimetra Alexander was in Montego Bay, Jamaica, when the storm hit.

“It was absolutely horrifying,” she told NBC News. “The devastation that Melissa brought is indescribable.”

Jamaican officials are still struggling to restore power to the island nation and reopen its pillaged roads. As of noon ET Thursday, Melissa left more than 70% of Jamaica without power and shut down at least 82 roads on the island.

“A large percentage of the Jamaican public service facilities are lying on the road,” Infrastructure Minister Robert Morgan said. “The contractors cannot touch those power lines without the Jamaica Public Service Company saying to us it is safe for us to do so.”

Power outages have made it difficult for Jamaicans to reach family members. On Thursday, people could be seen pulling over on the side of highways, trying to get cell service.

Kimberley Dunkley Watkins said she hasn’t heard from her younger brother, who lives in Montego Bay, Jamaica, since Monday evening.

“It’s probably one of the worst experiences of my life, and I lived through Hurricane Gilbert,” she told NBC News. “So it’s rough.”