Melissa Nears Jamaica as Category 5

Hurricane Melissa roared into Category 5 strength on Monday as it approached Jamaica, bringing forecasts of up to 30 inches of rain and a life-threatening storm surge, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

The powerful storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 160 mph, was located about 130 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and roughly 315 miles south-southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba. Moving slowly west at just 3 mph, Melissa is expected to make landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday before crossing over Cuba and the Bahamas through Wednesday.

Melissa is now the strongest hurricane in recent history to directly strike Jamaica. Meteorologists warn that some eastern areas of the island could receive as much as 40 inches of rain, and storm surges along the southern coast could reach up to 13 feet above ground level. The hurricane center cautioned that “catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely.”

At least three people have already been killed in Haiti, and another person died in the Dominican Republic, where one remains missing. “I want to urge Jamaicans to take this seriously,” said Desmond McKenzie of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council. “Do not gamble with Melissa. It’s not a safe bet.”

The storm is projected to make a second landfall Tuesday night in eastern Cuba, where hurricane warnings are in effect for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, and Holguin provinces. A tropical storm warning has also been issued for Las Tunas. Some parts of Cuba could see up to 20 inches of rain, along with dangerous coastal flooding.

In the Dominican Republic, Melissa has already caused widespread heavy rainfall, prompting school and government office closures in several provinces under red alert. Haiti, still reeling from earlier flooding, could face an additional 16 inches of rain as the massive storm continues its slow and destructive path through the Caribbean.

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