“The eye of Melissa leaves western Jamaica along the northern coast,” the NHC said in a bulletin and asked the population to “remain protected” in the face of a situation that is still “extremely dangerous.”
The storm was recently downgraded to Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, a measurement that has five levels. According to the NHC, Melissa is now heading to the Cuban provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo.
Melissa hit the Caribbean country at noon as a Category 5 hurricane (the maximum) and has lost some intensity since then, although its winds reach 240 km/h.
“Melissa remains a powerful Category 4 hurricane over northwest Jamaica,” the NHC reported in its latest bulletin. “This is an extremely dangerous and potentially deadly situation,” the organization noted.
The island has been suffering for hours from flooding and extreme winds caused by Melissa, one of the strongest hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic.
Despite accelerating its movement somewhat, the hurricane is moving slowly, increasing the risk of catastrophic flooding and landslides in Jamaica.
Its power exceeds that of some of the most devastating hurricanes in recent years, such as Katrina, which devastated the city of New Orleans in 2005.
Melissa, one of the most powerful
Earlier, authorities reported extreme flooding and winds ahead of the imminent arrival of powerful Hurricane Melissa; The authorities asked the population for the last time to take refuge.
The maximum category hurricane, one of the most powerful ever recorded in the Atlantic and the strongest to hit Jamaica, has been gaining speed as it approaches the country.
“Last chance to protect your life, said the US Hurricane Center (NHC) in its latest bulletin. “This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation! Take cover right now!”
The NHC indicated that Melissa had reached maximum sustained winds of 295 km/h. That power exceeds that of some of the most devastating hurricanes in recent years, such as Katrina, which devastated the city of New Orleans in 2005.
Deaths due to weather conditions
Seven deaths – three in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic – have already been attributed to deteriorating weather conditions.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness wanted to be honest with the population about the consequences of the hurricane in the hardest hit areas. “I don’t think there is infrastructure in this region that can withstand a Category 5 hurricane,” he declared Monday.
“For Jamaica it will be the storm of the century so far,” said Anne-Claire Fontan of the World Meteorological Organization.
The NHC placed Melissa about 80 kilometers south-southeast of Negril, a city in the west of the island, in its latest report.
According to the US center, the hurricane is likely to cause life-threatening flooding and numerous landslides, due to storm surges and torrential rains.
Authorities were concerned because many residents were refusing to comply with evacuation orders.
Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie reported late Monday that many of the island’s roughly 880 shelters remained empty.
“Jamaica, this is not the time to be brave,” McKenzie declared Tuesday. “There is still a small window of opportunity (…) Let’s see if we can use it wisely,” he added.
“Stay safe, Jamaica,” Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt, one of the country’s most famous figures, posted on X.
Ishack Wilmot, who took shelter with his family in Kingston, told AFP they were safe for now, but had lost power and water overnight.
“The winds are strong and gusty,” he said. “Even though we are far from the eye, it is still very intense and loud.”
In slow motion
Melissa is expected to reach the eastern tip of Cuba on Tuesday night, after hitting Jamaica.
The National Defense Council declared the “alarm phase” in the six eastern provinces (Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguín, Camagüey, Granma and Las Tunas).
The authorities began to evacuate some 650,000 people in these provinces, where the population is stocking up on supplies and trying to secure the roofs of their homes with ropes. Non-essential classes and work activities were suspended.
In Jamaica, the Red Cross, which has distributed drinking water and hygiene kits in response to potential disruptions to services, said Melissa’s “slowness” increased anxiety.
The hurricane is advancing at a human pace, which means it raises fears of a catastrophe on the tropical island known for tourism, Usain Bolt and reggae.
“You would expect it to maybe happen in four hours, but Melissa doesn’t seem like that,” a Red Cross spokeswoman, Esther Pinnock, told AFP.
Up to a meter of rain was forecast, with flash flooding and landslides also expected in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
Scientists say human-caused climate change has intensified large storms, increasing their frequency.
Global warming
Meteorologist Kerry Emanuel explained that global warming is causing more storms to intensify rapidly, as happened with Melissa, raising the risk of extreme rainfall.
“Water kills many more people than wind,” he told AFP.
The last major hurricane to hit Jamaica was Beryl, in July 2024, an abnormally strong storm for that time of year.
“Human-caused climate change is making all the most serious aspects of Hurricane Melissa worse,” said climate scientist Daniel Gilford.
humanitarian aid
While Jamaica holds its breath, several entities are working around the clock in South Florida to prepare aid for the inhabitants of the Caribbean island.
The NGO Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), specialized in humanitarian assistance during disasters, is one of the main promoters of this effort.
From its headquarters in Doral, near Miami, it receives, packages and prepares the shipment by air of food, water and basic necessities: in total about 22 tons of supplies destined for Kingston.
“We have an operational team in Jamaica. They will stay there during the hurricane and, as soon as it passes, they will go out to explore the area to assess the damage and coordinate the necessary control and repair work,” said Santiago Neira, head of community projects at GEM, created after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010.
Melissa is the 13th named — that is, tracked — storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from early June to late November.
