Esther Imonmion
People in Jamaica are bracing for the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which forecasters say could become the strongest hurricane ever to hit the island nation.
The US-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced early Monday that Melissa had been upgraded to a Category Five hurricane, the maximum strength on the Saffir–Simpson scale. The storm is expected to unleash destructive winds, torrential rain, and catastrophic flooding across Jamaica in the coming hours.
According to the NHC’s 12:00 GMT update, Melissa was located about 135 miles (220 km) southwest of Kingston, packing maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h). Forecasters warned that the hurricane could intensify further within the next 12 to 24 hours.
“If it continues on its current path, the core of Melissa is expected to move near or over Jamaica tonight and Tuesday, across southeastern Cuba Tuesday night, and over the southeastern Bahamas on Wednesday,” the NHC stated.
Authorities have expressed grave concern over the hurricane’s slow movement, which could result in extreme rainfall totals. Meteorologists predict up to 40 inches (100 cm) of rain in parts of Jamaica over the next four days, raising fears of widespread flooding and landslides.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has ordered the immediate evacuation of several vulnerable communities, while the entire island has been placed under a “threatened” status. Residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas have been urged to move to higher ground or seek refuge in government shelters.
Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie confirmed that all 881 designated shelters across the island have been opened to accommodate evacuees.
The storm has already caused devastation elsewhere in the Caribbean. On the island of Hispaniola, at least four people have died—three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic—as Melissa brought torrential rainfall and flash floods over the weekend.
Local reports in the Dominican Republic identified the deceased as a 79-year-old man who was swept away by floodwaters in Santo Domingo, while in Haiti, hundreds of homes have been inundated and a 13-year-old boy remains missing after being dragged away by strong sea currents.
Rescue operations are ongoing across affected areas, with emergency services warning that conditions will continue to deteriorate as the hurricane advances toward Jamaica.