Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on Tuesday afternoon as a Category 5 storm with winds of 185 mph, marking one of the strongest Atlantic Basin landfalls ever recorded. The National Hurricane Center tracked the eye south of Montego Bay as it crawled north-northeast at 8 mph, though winds have since dropped to 150 mph. At least seven people have died across Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica since the storm began its destructive path through the Caribbean.
The island faces violent winds, torrential rain, flooding and storm surges reaching 13 feet along southern coasts. Rainfall totals between 15 and 30 inches threaten widespread landslides, with mountain regions seeing wind speeds 30 percent stronger than coastal areas. Cuba has evacuated hundreds of thousands as Melissa heads toward the island and the southeastern Bahamas. Power and communication networks across Jamaica have failed as videos show massive flooding sweeping through communities.
The island faces violent winds, torrential rain, flooding and storm surges reaching 13 feet along southern coasts. Rainfall totals between 15 and 30 inches threaten widespread landslides, with mountain regions seeing wind speeds 30 percent stronger than coastal areas. Cuba has evacuated hundreds of thousands as Melissa heads toward the island and the southeastern Bahamas. Power and communication networks across Jamaica have failed as videos show massive flooding sweeping through communities.
