At least three people have died and five others were injured in Haiti as Hurricane Melissa rapidly intensified with sustained winds of 145 miles per hour, as it strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane on Monday, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
The center of the storm was located about 125 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, as it moved westward, bringing torrential rain and catastrophic flooding to parts of the northern Caribbean, including Jamaica and Haiti.
The NHC said that if the hurricane maintains or increases its strength, it could become the strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in Jamaica. The slow-moving storm, travelling at just 7 kilometers (4 miles) per hour, poses an increased risk of extended punishing conditions and extreme rainfall across the island.
Melissa was centered about 205 kilometers (130 miles) south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 495 kilometers (310 miles) south-southwest of Guantanamo, Cuba, on Sunday night. Landfall in Jamaica is expected late Monday or early Tuesday.
Category 5 hurricanes, the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale, feature sustained winds exceeding 250 kilometers per hour (157 miles per hour). The NHC warned that up to 1 meter (40 inches) of rainfall could hit parts of Jamaica, triggering flash flooding and landslides.
“This extreme rainfall potential, owing to the slow motion, is going to create a catastrophic event here for Jamaica,” US National Hurricane Center (NHC) Deputy Director Jamie Rhome said in a webcast briefing. “You need to just be wherever you’re going to be and be ready to ride this out for several days,” Rhome said.
Catastrophic impacts expected across the Caribbean region
As of Monday, Hurricane Melissa was located about 315 miles (505 kilometers) south-southwest of Guantanamo, Cuba, packing maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 kph), according to the NHC.
“A slow turn toward the northwest and north is expected today and tonight, followed by a northeastward acceleration beginning on Tuesday and continuing through at least Thursday,” NHC said.
Jamaicans have been urged to take immediate shelter as Melissa continues to strengthen offshore. The storm’s slow pace increases the likelihood of prolonged rainfall and dangerous flooding.
Melissa poses an extreme threat not only to Jamaica and Haiti but also to the southern Dominican Republic, where strong winds, storm surge, and torrential rains are expected to cause widespread damage to infrastructure and power systems.
Other regions that could experience severe impacts include eastern Cuba, the southern Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, CNN reported.
Authorities across the region are urging residents to heed evacuation orders, secure property, and prepare for days of dangerous conditions as Hurricane Melissa barrels through the Caribbean.
