Hurricane Melissa became a Category 5 storm early Monday and is forecast to cause extensive damage when it makes landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday.
The hurricane may cause flooding, landslides, and extensive infrastructure damage to the island then hit Cuba before moving toward the Bahamas, the Associated Press (AP) reported Monday.
The outlet said, “It would be the strongest hurricane to hit the island since record keeping began in 1851.”
Authorities are warning people in Jamaica to find shelter and remain there when the storm hits, according to NBC News.
The AP article continued:
Category 5 is the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds exceeding 157 mph (250 kph). Melissa would be the strongest hurricane in recorded history to directly hit the small Caribbean nation, said Jonathan Porter, chief meteorologist at AccuWeather.
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“This can become a true humanitarian crisis very quickly, and there is likely going to be the need for a lot of international support,” Porter said in a phone interview.
Radar posted early Monday showed the eye of the storm near Jamaica as residents prepare for impact:
The storm, which may bring up to 40 inches of rain to the island, is the third Category 5 of the 2025 season, per NBC.
“The last time there were more than two storms of this strength in the same season was 20 years ago, in 2005. Melissa is also the latest Category 5 storm in an Atlantic hurricane season in 27 years, since Hurricane Mitch in 1998,” the report stated.
Video footage shows waves hitting the Jamaican shore and high winds bending trees. When asked how he was feeling about the situation, one man told Today, “Well, right now, worried.”
The AP article said there have already been six deaths as a result of the hurricane sweeping through the northern Caribbean.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said Monday in a social media post, “The Government has declared the entire island a threatened area under the Disaster Risk Management Act, empowering agencies to take all necessary measures to protect lives and property,” adding that shelters are open, emergency crews are at the ready, and compulsory evacuations have been ordered for vulnerable areas.
“Over $400 million has been allocated for drain cleaning and local preparedness, and emergency relief and recovery plans are fully activated. Our security forces and first responders are mobilized to maintain order and provide support before, during, and after the hurricane,” he added.
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