Hurricane Melissa Threatens Catastrophic Flooding in the Caribbean

Hurricane Melissa has rapidly strengthened into a Category 3 major hurricane, unleashing torrential rain across the northern Caribbean and threatening devastating floods and landslides in Jamaica and southern Haiti.

Forecasters warn the storm could intensify further before making landfall in Jamaica early next week and reaching Cuba soon after. “I urge Jamaicans to take this weather threat seriously,” said Prime Minister Andrew Holness. “Take all measures to protect yourself.”

Early Sunday, Melissa was centered 125 miles south-southeast of Kingston with sustained winds of 115 mph, moving slowly west-southwest at 5 mph. Up to 30 inches of rain are expected in Jamaica and southern Hispaniola, with Cuba issuing hurricane watches across its eastern provinces.

Melissa’s slow, erratic movement has already claimed at least four lives — three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic — and caused major flooding, downed trees, and destroyed bridges. Authorities in Kingston have closed the Norman Manley International Airport and activated 650 shelters across the island.

In Haiti, rising river levels and collapsed walls have left several injured. Nearly 200 homes in the Dominican Republic have been damaged, cutting off water to half a million residents.

Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, part of what U.S. forecasters predicted to be an above-average year.