Hurricane Melissa: ‘Storm of the century’ makes landfall in Jamaica


Hurricane Melissa has made landfall in western Jamaica as a powerful Category 5 storm — the strongest ever to directly hit the Caribbean nation of 2.8 million people.
The extremely violent Category 5 system was still crawling across the Caribbean, promising catastrophic floods and life-threatening conditions as maximum sustained winds reached a staggering 295 kilometres per hour.

“This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation!” warned the US National Hurricane Center, urging residents to stay sheltered and as far from windows as possible, including during the brief calm offered by the storm’s eye.

The slow-moving storm is forecast to remain a powerful hurricane as it crosses the mountainous island, whose highland communities are vulnerable to landslides and flooding, and heads towards Santiago de Cuba, Cuba’s second-largest city.
The Miami-based hurricane centre warned that “total structural failure” was likely in Melissa’s path.

“The destruction could be unlike anything people in Jamaica have seen before,” said US forecaster AccuWeather’s lead hurricane expert, Alex DaSilva.

Police officers and members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces collaborate in evacuating people on the road leading to the town of Chivirico, in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Source: AAP / Ernesto Mastrascusa / EPA

Shortly before landfall, Jamaican electric utility JPS said power outages had affected more than a third of its customers. In its worst-hit parishes, some three-quarters of customers lost power, JPS said.

Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie told reporters that nearly 6,000 people had moved into temporary shelters.
The government had issued mandatory evacuation orders for some 28,000 people, but some were reluctant to leave their homes.

“Don’t bet against Melissa, because you will lose,” warned McKenzie, as authorities implored residents to seek protection in shelters and fortify their residences.

‘Storm of the Century’

Melissa’s sustained wind speed was even more potent than most of recent history’s big storms, including 2005’s Katrina, which ravaged the US city of New Orleans.

“For Jamaica it will be the storm of the century so far,” said Anne-Claire Fontan of the World Meteorological Organization.

Three people stand on a road covered with debris and fallen trees

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica with maximum sustained winds of nearly 295 kilometers per hour, torrential rains, and storm surges that threaten to cause flooding and damage. Source: AAP / Rudolph Brown / EPA

Nearby Haiti and the Dominican Republic have faced days of torrential downpours, leading to at least four deaths, authorities said.

At least three people died during storm preparations in Jamaica, local media reported.

In Cuba, authorities said they had evacuated upwards of 500,000 people from areas vulnerable to winds and flooding.

Storm intensified on approach

Melissa’s slow movement over unusually tepid Caribbean water had contributed to its ballooning size and strength, NHC forecasters said, threatening Jamaica with days of never-before-seen catastrophic winds and rain.

Melissa could bring up to 762 mm of rain to parts of Jamaica, and up to 12 inches to parts of the island of Hispaniola, the NHC said.

US-based organization collects aid as Jamaica braces for Hurricane Melissa

The US-based nonprofit humanitarian organisation, GEM, which specialises in providing rapid disaster relief and long-term recovery support to communities globally affected by natural disasters, conflicts, or crises, is mobilising a major aid operation both ahead of and following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Source: AAP / Christobal Herrera-Ulashkevich / EPA

The International Federation of the Red Cross said up to 1.5 million people in Jamaica were expected to be directly affected by the storm.

To enable swift relief distribution, essential items — tarpaulins, hygiene kits, blankets, and safe drinking water — had been pre-positioned in Red Cross branches on the island, he said, with over 800 shelters set up for evacuees.



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