Dozens dead as 'unprecedented' Hurricane Melissa ravages through Caribbean

At least 34 people have been killed after Hurricane Melissa tore through the Caribbean, leaving widespread destruction.

The Red Cross said early indications show the storm has been a "disaster of unprecedented catastrophe". Storm Melissa has so far ravaged through Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.

Eight of the deaths so far have come in Jamaica, one in the Dominican Republic, and 25 in Haiti. Devastating aerial footage shows towns destroyed by the storm, which made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane with winds of up to 185mph.

One of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes ever, it weakened by the time it reached Cuba on Wednesday morning but still brought devastation there - with houses collapsed and roads blocked. Authorities said about 735,000 people remained in shelters.

Read more:Do we need new 'category 6' for most extreme storms? In Jamaica, Prime Minister Andrew Holness travelled to St Elizabeth, where the first deaths were reported, to inspect the storm's impact. More than 25,000 people were packed into shelters Wednesday, with 77% of the island without power.

Sharing aerial footage of battered homes, Mr Holness wrote: "The damage is great, but we are going to devote all our energy to mount a strong recovery." 'Whole communities are underwater' The UK and US governments are among those to have committed aid. By Wednesday night, the storm had top sustained winds of near 100mph - with strong gales felt in the Bahamas and Bermuda.

Authorities in the Bahamas were evacuating dozens of people from the archipelago's southeast corner ahead of Melissa's arrival. Alexander Pendry, British Red Cross global response manager, said: "News is already coming through that whole communities are underwater and that the damage left by the strong winds has been devastating.

"The Jamaica Red Cross has been proactively supporting communities by preparing essential supplies and managing shelters. Their priority now is to reach people with aid as soon as possible.".