Melissa Becomes Deadliest Hurricane to Directly Hit Jamaica Since 1851

Hurricane Melissa has escalated into a ferocious Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 175 mph (280 kph), positioning itself as the most powerful hurricane to directly strike Jamaica since records began in 1851. On Monday night, the storm was centered 155 miles (245 km) southwest of Kingston, crawling northwest at just 2 mph (4 kph), setting the stage for a devastating landfall on Tuesday morning. Forecasters warn of catastrophic flooding, landslides, and a storm surge up to 13 feet (4 meters) along coastal areas, threatening critical infrastructure including the island’s main airport and power plants in the capital.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, visibly solemn, revealed he had been praying for the nation’s safety as mandatory evacuations began in flood-prone communities. Buses transported residents to shelters, though officials expressed alarm that fewer than 1,000 people had sought refuge in over 130 facilities—far below what is needed for a storm of this magnitude. Transport Minister Daryl Vaz urged citizens to evacuate, warning that failure to do so could have fatal consequences. Despite the pleas, some residents remained defiant, with fishermen in Old Harbor Bay securing boats and vowing to ride out the tempest at home.

The hurricane’s slow movement heightens the danger, with eastern Jamaica expected to receive up to 30 inches (76 cm) of rain and western Haiti up to 16 inches (40 cm), triggering life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. Melissa has already claimed seven lives across the northern Caribbean—three in Haiti, one in the Dominican Republic, and three in Jamaica from pre-storm accidents. In Haiti, the storm destroyed vital crops amid a severe hunger crisis affecting over 5.7 million people. The Dominican Republic reported more than 750 damaged homes, 3,760 displaced residents, and 48 communities cut off by floodwaters.

Also Read: Jamaica on High Alert as Hurricane Melissa Nears Category 5 Intensity

After battering Jamaica, Melissa is forecast to slam into eastern Cuba later Tuesday, prompting the evacuation of over 600,000 people, including from Santiago de Cuba. Up to 20 inches (51 cm) of rain and significant coastal surges are anticipated there. The storm will then churn toward the southeastern and central Bahamas under hurricane warnings, with tropical storm alerts issued for the Turks and Caicos. Cuban authorities have mobilized extensive resources, while Jamaican meteorologists warn that post-storm recovery will be hampered by blocked roads and widespread debris.

Residents like Kingston hotel worker Hanna Mcleod prepared frantically, boarding windows and stockpiling canned goods, candles, and flashlights for her family. Others, still reeling from Hurricane Beryl’s destruction last year, faced the looming disaster with a mix of resignation and resolve. As power outages spread across southern coastal towns and winds intensified, the island braced for what AccuWeather’s chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter described as a potential “humanitarian crisis” requiring substantial international aid. Melissa, the 13th named storm of the Atlantic season, serves as a grim reminder of nature’s unrelenting fury in the Caribbean.

Also Read: Jamaica on High Alert as Hurricane Melissa Nears Category 5 Intensity