Category 5 Hurricane Melissa Slams Jamaica, Threatens Cuba and Bahamas

Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm to hit Jamaica in 174 years of recordkeeping, made landfall early today, bringing catastrophic conditions and prompting widespread evacuations across the Caribbean.

The Category 5 hurricane was centered approximately 115 miles west-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and 290 miles southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, as of early Tuesday, boasting maximum sustained winds of 175 mph. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness warned, “There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5,” emphasizing the challenge of recovery ahead. A life-threatening storm surge of up to 13 feet is expected along Jamaica’s southern coast, potentially impacting hospitals and coastal communities. This storm arrives during a period of increasing intensity in Atlantic hurricane seasons, linked to climate change.

Seven deaths have already been attributed to the storm across the Caribbean, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic, where one person remains missing. Cuban officials are evacuating over 600,000 people from eastern provinces, anticipating Melissa’s arrival there later today. Health Minister Christopher Tufton stated that some Jamaican hospital patients were relocated to higher floors “and (we) hope that will suffice for any surge that will take place.” For more information on hurricane preparedness, visit the Ready.gov website.

Following its path across Jamaica and Cuba, Melissa is forecast to strike the southeastern Bahamas by Wednesday evening, with hurricane warnings in effect for those islands and the Turks and Caicos. Meteorological officials urge residents to heed evacuation orders and secure essential supplies. You can track the storm’s current path and updates from the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Officials are preparing for a slow cleanup and damage assessment, with a focus on restoring power and providing aid to affected communities.