Employment impact assessment of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica

This brief assesses the economic and employment impacts of Hurricane Melissa (October 2025) in Jamaica using innovative remote sensing modeling. The analysis estimates a 2.9% decline in national GDP and 30,400 job losses, with localized declines of up to 9.7% in Savanna-la-Mar, 7.3% in Montego Bay, and 6.6% in Saint Elizabeth. By combining daily nighttime light data, building damage assessments, and gridded population data, the study provides high-resolution insights into spatial disparities in recovery and highlights the need for employment-centered policies, sector-specific support, and climate-resilient skills development to mitigate long-term labor market disruptions.