Hurricane Melissa — described as the “storm of the century” by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) — made landfall near the town of New Hope, about 62 km south of Montego Bay, on Tuesday. The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the storm had maximum sustained winds of 295 km/h (185 mph), placing it above the threshold for a Category 5 hurricane when it struck Jamaica’s coast.

‘An extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation’

In its latest advisory, the NHC said Melissa remained a powerful Category 4 hurricane over northwestern Jamaica. “This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” it warned, urging residents to stay indoors and avoid coastal areas.

The WMO reported that Melissa had already caused severe destruction across the Caribbean, with torrential rains and flash floods claiming seven lives — three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic. Another person remains missing in the Dominican Republic.

Forecasters predicted that rainfall in parts of Jamaica could exceed 700 mm (27.5 inches) — roughly double the average total for an entire rainy season. WMO cyclone specialist Anne-Claire Fontan said the storm was expected to trigger “catastrophic flash flooding, landslides, and widespread infrastructure damage.”

Government says ‘prepared but vulnerable’

Jamaica’s local government minister, Desmond McKenzie, told Al Jazeera that while authorities had taken all possible precautions, the magnitude of the storm made complete preparedness impossible.
“We are prepared, but I don’t know if we can ever be prepared for a Category 5 hurricane,” he said, recalling that last year’s Hurricane Beryl had caused “extensive damage” across the island.

Emergency teams and volunteers have been deployed to affected parishes, while shelters and relief centres are operating across the country. However, strong winds and debris have made rescue operations challenging.

Leiska Powell, an emergency services manager with the Jamaican Red Cross, said the western parts of the island were facing the worst impact. “We’re seeing stronger winds, more rain, and some significant damage on the western side of the country,” she said.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) estimates that up to 1.5 million Jamaicans may face direct or indirect repercussions from the hurricane.

Power outages and tourist impact

Robian Williams, a journalist with Kingston’s NationWide Radio 90FM, said large areas were without electricity after strong winds uprooted trees and downed power lines.
“Many of us here are out of electricity. First responders are out trying to clear the roads,” she said.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ office confirmed that about 25,000 tourists currently on the island are sheltering in place. Hotels have reportedly offered “distress rates” and temporary accommodation for stranded visitors.

Holness added that Jamaica had received calls of support from the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, and other Caribbean nations.

UN warns of health and water crises

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian agency (OCHA), said the immediate focus was “to save as many lives as possible”.
“When you have massive flooding, one of the biggest problems is water,” he warned, citing the risk of epidemics and waterborne diseases due to contamination and scarcity of clean water.

In an unusual alert, Jamaica’s South East Regional Health Authority warned that rising floodwaters had displaced crocodiles from rivers and swamps, urging residents to stay vigilant as the reptiles could enter residential areas.

Cuba braces for impact

After pummelling Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa began moving slowly towards eastern Cuba, where authorities have issued hurricane warnings for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, and Holguin provinces.
Evacuations are under way for over 600,000 people, with 200,000 residents moved from Holguin and a similar number from Banes, according to local media.

Deputy Prime Minister Eduardo Martínez described the storm as “unprecedented and very dangerous” while overseeing evacuation efforts in Banes. Forecasters expect rainfall of up to 510 mm (20 inches) and severe coastal storm surges in eastern Cuba.

Meteorologists also predict that the hurricane will turn northeast after Cuba and head towards the southeast Bahamas by Wednesday evening.

A slow-moving and deadly storm

Experts warned that Melissa’s slow pace — moving at just 7 km/h (4 mph) — could worsen the devastation.
“Slow-moving major hurricanes often go down in history as some of the deadliest and most destructive storms on record,” said Jonathan Porter, chief meteorologist at AccuWeather.
“This is a dire situation unfolding in slow motion.”