Category 5 Hurricane Melissa Threatens Jamaica and Cuba

Hurricane Melissa has intensified to a Category 5 storm and is currently tracking towards Jamaica and Cuba, prompting mandatory evacuations and warnings of potentially “unimaginable impacts.”

The US National Hurricane Center reported today that Melissa, packing sustained winds exceeding 157 mph (250 kph), is expected to make landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, bringing with it the threat of life-threatening flash flooding, landslides, and destructive winds. Some areas could receive up to 40 inches (1 meter) of rainfall. This storm is particularly concerning due to its slow movement, which will exacerbate rainfall totals and prolong the period of dangerous conditions.

Authorities in Jamaica have activated nearly 900 shelters and issued mandatory evacuation orders for seven flood-prone communities, including Port Royal and Old Harbour Bay. “Many of these communities will not survive the flooding,” warned Desmond McKenzie, the minister of local government. Professor Liz Stephens, from the University of Reading, added that the hurricane “has all the ingredients to be a catastrophic storm,” and represents a stark example of how climate change is fueling stronger and wetter hurricanes globally. The storm has already caused at least three deaths in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic, with another person missing in the latter country.

Following its projected path over Jamaica, Melissa is forecast to cross eastern Cuba Tuesday evening and move across the southeastern Bahamas on Wednesday. Officials are urging residents to heed evacuation orders and prepare for extended periods of isolation due to anticipated infrastructure damage and blocked roads. For more information on hurricane preparedness, visit the National Hurricane Center website.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has urged citizens not to “gamble with Melissa,” emphasizing the severity of the threat and the need for immediate action.