The decentralized messaging app is experiencing a surge in downloads as 300 km/h winds sweep across the Caribbean, disrupting traditional communications.

Hurricane Melissa continues to wreak havoc in the Caribbean, and Jamaican citizens are downloading Bitchat, the decentralized peer-to-peer messaging app developed by Jack Dorsey, in large numbers to stay connected while the storm passes through the region.

According to network data tracked by NetBlocks, national connectivity has fallen to roughly 30% of normal levels, due to widespread outages caused by strong winds and downed power and telecom lines.

The app, which uses Bluetooth mesh networks to enable encrypted communications without an Internet connection, has climbed the charts to become the second most downloaded app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play in Jamaica.

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