Jamaicans are flocking to download Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat app as Hurricane Melissa devastates the Caribbean. The app, using Bluetooth mesh networks, is now the second-most downloaded app in Jamaica, providing a vital lifeline for 2.8 million people without reliable internet. Bitchat ranks just below the weather forecast app Zoom Earth.

Hurricane Melissa has claimed over 30 lives in the Caribbean, with 23 deaths in Haiti alone. Countless homes and businesses have been destroyed by the storm. Bitchat, a decentralized messaging app, is proving essential in areas where internet access is disrupted by government interference or natural disasters.

Bitchat downloads surged in Nepal amid government corruption and social media bans, as well as in Indonesia during protests. Madagascar also saw an increase in downloads due to ongoing crises. The EU is considering the controversial “Chat Control” law, which would eliminate encrypted messaging, but Germany has opposed it, leading to a delay in the vote until December.

Read more at Cointelegraph: Bitchat Second-Ranked App in Jamaica Amid Hurricane Disaster