Follow live updates on Hurricane Melissa as the death toll reaches 38 people. Recovery efforts are underway in Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

Communities across the Caribbean are reeling in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, which ripped through Jamaica, Cuba and Hispaniola, the island comprising Haiti and the Dominican Republic, this week. While officials said that damage assessments remained underway to determine the full scope of the destruction,

As aid groups and officials assess the damage, one thing is certain: Jamaica has been through an unthinkable tragedy following the most powerful storm to ever hit the Caribbean island nation.

The storm left widespread destruction and at least dozens of deaths in its path. In Chicago, people are looking for ways to help.

Hurricane Melissa— one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded—is now off Cuba’s eastern coast, after leaving a trail of destruction across the large island and its much smaller neighbor, Jamaica.

Most of Jamaica remains without power, as our correspondent reports floods, mudslides and "palm trees tossed like toothpicks".

A cold front is expected to push through the area mid-week, bringing pleasant temperatures and zero rain chances for those planning to trick-or-treat.