Hurricane Melissa left a trail of destruction as it moved across Jamaica, seen for the first time from space in new satellite images obtained from Vantor.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in southwest Jamaica this week near the coastal town of Black River, which the government has described as “ground zero.”

Hurricane Melissa has hit southwestern Jamaica as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, causing heavy flooding and wind damage.

When the storm grew into Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, the couple’s flight home was canceled. Unable to book another flight home, with the main airport closed, they were stranded in the storm’s path. They barricaded their room’s windows with furniture, and took shelter in the bathroom.

Samaritan's Purse sent its first relief airlift to Jamaica on Thursday in the aftermath of the disastrous Hurricane Melissa, which hit Jamaica and other Caribbean nations this week. (Courtesy of Samar

Scenes of desperation and destruction played out on the streets of Black River, Jamaica. CNN captured raw footage of the reality on the ground after Hurricane Melissa.