Jamaica and Cuba brace for catastrophic Hurricane Melissa as category 5 storm makes landfall

Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm packing sustained winds of 280 km/h, bore down on Jamaica early Tuesday, threatening catastrophic destruction before crossing into Cuba later in the day.

Forecasters said the hurricane — the strongest to ever strike Jamaica in 174 years of record-keeping — was expected to sweep diagonally across the island, entering near St. Elizabeth Parish in the south and exiting around St. Ann Parish in the north.

“There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5,” said Prime Minister Andrew Holness. “The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge.”

By early Tuesday, Melissa’s eye was located about 180 kilometers west-southwest of Kingston and 465 kilometers southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. The storm was moving north-northeast at 8 km/h.

Officials reported landslides, toppled trees, and widespread power outages even before the storm’s core hit. A storm surge up to four meters is expected along Jamaica’s southern coast, raising concerns about flooding in coastal hospitals.

Health Minister Christopher Tufton said some patients were being moved from lower floors as a precaution.

Melissa has already caused seven deaths across the Caribbean — three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing.

Despite evacuation orders, many Jamaicans have chosen to shelter at home. “Many have never experienced anything like this before, and the uncertainty is frightening,” said Colin Bogle, a Mercy Corps advisor near Kingston.

Water and Environment Minister Matthew Samuda urged residents to conserve clean water, noting more than 50 backup generators were ready for deployment after the storm. “Every drop will count,” he warned.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall in eastern Cuba late Tuesday, with up to 51 centimeters of rain and dangerous coastal surges forecast. Authorities have ordered the evacuation of over 600,000 people, including in Santiago de Cuba, the country’s second-largest city.

Hurricane warnings remain in effect for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, and Holguín, while tropical storm warnings cover Las Tunas.

Melissa has already drenched Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and forecasters expect it to turn northeast toward the southeastern Bahamas by Wednesday night, where hurricane warnings are also in effect.