Melissa upgrades to Category 5 hurricane as it nears Jamaica with catastrophic flooding expected
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hurricane Melissa intensified to Category 5 strength Monday as it neared Jamaica, where forecasters said it would unleash catastrophic flooding, multiple landslides, and extensive infrastructure damage.Melissa is forecast to make landfall on the island on Tuesday and cross Cuba and the Bahamas through Wednesday.Early Monday, Melissa was centered about 135 miles (220 kilometers) southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 320 miles (515 kilometers) southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, the U.S.National Hurricane Center in Miami said.The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 kph) and was moving west at 3 mph (5 kph), the center said.Category 5 is the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds exceeding 157 mph (250 kph).
Hurricane Melissa is the strongest hurricane in recent history, forecast to directly hit the small Caribbean nation.“Do not venture out of your safe shelter,” the National Hurricane Center warned.Some areas in eastern Jamaica could see up to 40 inches (1 meter) of rain while western Haiti could get 16 inches (40 centimeters), according to the hurricane center.“Catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely,” it warned.Mandatory evacuations were ordered in seven flood-prone communities in Jamaica, with buses ferrying people to safe shelter.The slow-moving storm has killed at least three people in Haiti and a fourth person in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing.“I want to urge Jamaicans to take this seriously,” said Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council.
“Do not gamble with Melissa.It’s not a safe bet.”The hurricane was expected to make another landfall later Tuesday in eastern Cuba.
A hurricane warning was in effect for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, and Holguin provinces, while a tropical storm warning was in effect for Las Tunas.Up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain were forecast for parts o...