Hurricane Melissa, now a powerful Category 5 storm, is barreling toward Jamaica with stronger winds gusting to 175 mph, making it the strongest storm on the planet this year.
The rare storm has continued to intensify and has already claimed three lives in Haiti and one person in the Dominican Republic.
From evacuation orders to warnings of “catastrophic flash flooding” and landslides, Jamaica is bracing for the impact of Hurricane Melissa – expected to be the worst storm in the island’s history.
When will Hurricane Melissa make landfall?
According to reports, Hurricane Melissa was centered 145 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and is expected to turn north around sunrise on Tuesday to make landfall on the island.
It is unlikely to affect the United States, the AP report said.
Jamaica is already experiencing widespread heavy rain that has forced the closure of all major airports and left residents and many American tourists stranded. The storm is expected to continue continuously until Tuesday afternoon and lead to life-threatening flooding and landslides.
The impact of Hurricane Melissa
Melissa is forecast to wash away roads, destroy homes and knock out power, leaving communities isolated, according to meteorologists.
The worst conditions are expected on Tuesday morning with catastrophic winds battering Jamaica. In Kingston, grocery store shelves emptied as families prepared to shelter in place.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said Monday he had signed an evacuation order for some areas on the island’s south coast. “We can reduce damage and speed up recovery by taking preparation and preventative measures before a hurricane hits,” Holmes said in a statement.
Several video clips on social media showed satellite images of the Category 5 hurricane – as it continued to strengthen.
The US Embassy in Jamaica also issued an alert – warning Americans in the area to prepare to shelter in place. “This is a dangerous storm,” the alert said, in addition to warning of “catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides,” according to ABC News.
How did the hurricane get its name ‘Melissa’?
Hurricane Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Atlantic tropical storms are named by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which maintains a rotating list of names.
Name lists are reused every six years; that is, the 2003 list was reused in 2009, the 2004 list in 2010, and so on. For example, the 2019 list was to be used again in 2025.
