Hurricane Melissa, Now a Category 5 Hurricane, Barrels toward Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba – National

Hurricane Melissa strengthened to a powerful category 5 Storm early Monday, prompting warnings of severe flooding and destruction in the Caribbean throughout the Caribbean, said Jamaica, Haiti and Hurricane Center (NHC).

Jamaica sits directly in the storm’s path, as it reaches its peak strength.

Hurricane Melissa is the strongest storm of the Atlantic Hurricane season, Anthony Farnell said. “It reached Category 5 strength early Monday morning and continues to strengthen,” he added.

“Unfortunately, there’s an almost impossible chance that Melissa will miss Jamaica,” Farnell said.

The NHC is urging people in Jamaica to seek shelter, as destructive storm conditions are expected to develop Monday night or early in the day.

Peak storm surge heights could reach three to four meters above ground level, the agency added. As of Monday morning, the modified winds extended 315 kilometers into the eye of the storm.

Melissa is expected to bring 38 to 76 inches of rain across parts of Jamaica, with up to 102 inches in some areas. Catastrophic floods and many mudslides are also possible, as well as major infrastructure damage to highways and highways where Farnell said it could lead to weeks for a long time.

“The only good news is that the latest track brings those strong winds (250km / H +) and the worst storm surge (3 to 4 meters) in the west, in the most populated part.

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Wind speed is expected to be 30 percent higher in mountainous regions. On Monday morning, the maximum sustained winds were near 260 kilometers per hour.

Jamaica’s two airports were closed over the weekend, including Montego Bay Airport and Norman Manley International Airport in the capital, Kingston, where storm conditions could last for 24 hours.

Roads leading to Kingston Airport are particularly exposed to strong winds and waves.

Jamaica’s government minister for Khayaica, Desmond McKenzie, said Sunday night that 218 people were already in the country’s 881 shelters, NBC News reported.

More than 650 shelters operated in Jamaica. Authorities said warehouses on the island were well stocked and thousands of food packages were pre-positioned for immediate distribution if needed.

A prolonged storm will leave little time for recovery, Jamaican authorities have warned.

“With the slowness of this system, it doesn’t allow you to recover. It will stay there, pour water while moving a little and that’s a big challenge that we have to be aware of,” said Evan Thompson, director of the Jamaican weather service, said.

“The pending impact of Melissa is not something we as a country should take lightly,” McKenzie said on Saturday, adding that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure Jamaicans are protected and comply with emergency orders.

Catastrophic and life-threatening flash floods are forecast to hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic by midweek, the NHC warned. During that time, Cuba is not guilty of heavy rains, floods and landslides.

The Southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands are also on high alert, with Hurricane Watches.

Haitian authorities say three people have already died as a result of the storm and five others were injured due to the damaged wall.

The storm damaged nearly 200 homes in the Dominican Republic over the weekend, knocking out water supply systems and affecting more than half a million customers.

Farnell noted that this would be the first category 4 or strongest storm to hit the island in modern times. “The fact that the storm will be driven south has made it more destructive,” it warned, although Jamaica’s high altitude will force the storm to ease “a lot.”

Melissa is the 13th named hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-normal period with 13 to 18 named storms.

– With files from the accompanying media

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