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Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a powerful Category 5 storm early Monday, with forecasters warning of “catastrophic flash flooding, life-threatening landslides, and destructive winds” across the Caribbean.
The hurricane, packing sustained winds of 260 km/h, was located about 220 km southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and is expected to make landfall on the island early Tuesday before moving across southeastern Cuba and the Bahamas by midweek, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Melissa — the strongest storm to threaten Jamaica since Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 — could dump up to 76 cm of rain, triggering severe flooding and storm surges along the southern coast. “Do not venture out of your safe shelter,” the NHC warned, adding that some parts of eastern Jamaica could receive nearly a metre of rainfall.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness urged residents to take the storm seriously: “I urge every Jamaican to prepare, stay indoors during the storm and comply with evacuation orders. Check on your neighbours, especially the elderly and vulnerable, and continue to pray for our nation’s safety.”
Melissa is the third Category 5 hurricane of the 2025 season — the most in a single year since 2005 — and the strongest October storm in the Atlantic since Hurricane Mitch in 1998.