Hurricane Melissa is poised to inflict significant destruction this week as it moves through the Caribbean, with storm trackers closely monitoring the system generating intense 175mph winds and higher gusts.
The storm, which hit the Caribbean on Tuesday with a pressure level nearly equal to Hurricane Katrina, is believed by authorities to have already claimed seven lives. The fatalities include three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic, with one person currently missing in the latter.
Due to Melissa’s destructive potential, weather forecasters are vigilantly observing the system, anticipating landfall in multiple nations today.
According to the latest tracking data from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the hurricane was situated this morning approximately 115 miles southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and 290 miles outside Guantanamo, Cuba. Forecasters project it will make landfall on Jamaica’s southern coast in the coming hours.
The storm is forecasted to reach land in the early hours and traverse diagonally across the island, entering near St Elizabeth parish in the south and exiting around St Ann parish in the north.
Ahead of the storm, the government stated it had taken all necessary precautions, warning of catastrophic damage. Prime Minister Andrew Holness cautioned that no infrastructure could withstand the storm’s conditions.
He remarked, “There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5. The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge.”
Reports of landslides, fallen trees, and widespread power outages emerged before the storm, with Jamaican officials cautioning that the cleanup and damage evaluation would be gradual. A life-threatening storm surge of up to 13 feet is anticipated across southern Jamaica, with concerns raised about hospitals along the coastline.
Health Minister Christopher Tufton mentioned that some patients were relocated to higher floors. The NHC’s latest update indicated the storm would begin to have a “catastrophic” impact in Jamaica this morning.
The wind warning states, “Tropical storm conditions are occurring in Jamaica, and catastrophic hurricane-force winds are expected to begin this morning. Within the eyewall, total structural failure is likely, especially in higher elevation areas.”
Melissa is expected to bring similarly catastrophic rainfall, with estimates of 15 to 30 inches in parts of Jamaica and southern Hispaniola through Wednesday.
Another warning predicts, “Melissa is expected to bring rainfall of 15 to 30 inches to portions of Jamaica and additional rainfall of 6 to 12 inches for southern Hispaniola through Wednesday, with storm total local maxima of 40 inches possible. Catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely.”
The forecast for eastern Cuba indicates storm total rainfall of 10 to 20 inches, with local amounts up to 25 inches, potentially leading to life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides until Wednesday.
