#AyonMelissa. Credit: Google Maps
Jamaica is bracing for the most powerful hurricane in modern history as Hurricane Melissa, now a Category 4 superstorm, slowly heads toward the island.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned on Saturday, October 25, that Melissa “could be the largest direct landfall on the island since tropical cyclone records were set in the Atlantic Basin.”
The storm is hurtling toward the west with strong winds near 140 mph (225 kph). Landfall is expected late Monday into Tuesday (October 27-28), with the potential to strengthen to Category 5 at one point.
Catastrophic flooding and landslides expected across Jamaica
The NHC is predicting 15 to 30 inches (380 to 760 mm) of rain across the island, with isolated totals reaching up to 40 inches (1 m) in mountainous areas, levels that could cause life-threatening flash floods and landslides.
“The intense winds that a Category 4 hurricane is likely to generate could push ocean water up the coastline, pushing homes and communities back into the ocean,” Jamaica Meteorological Service Chief Director Evan Thompson said, via the Jamaica Observer.
The National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) has become operational and more than 650 emergency shelters have been opened across the country.
- Norman Manley International Airport and Sangster International Airport are closed.
- Curfews and traffic restrictions are in place in several parishes.
- Emergency teams remain on high alert and ODPEM urges residents to “obey all official warnings”.
Although Jamaica is within the hurricane belt, direct landfall is rare. Meteorologist Jeff Masters told the Washington Post that Melissa’s slow motion and heavy rain could create a “worst-case scenario.”
Haiti and Dominican Republic also on alert due to Hurricane Melissa
NOAA warns that Melissa’s impact will also affect Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where at least four deaths have already been reported. Heavy rain and landslides are expected until midweek, potentially cutting off communities in the mountains.
A hurricane watch is also in place in southwestern Haiti and eastern Cuba, with the hurricane forecast to track toward the southern Bahamas later this week.
For official updates, please visit: NHC Hurricane Melissa’s page.
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