Copyright dailyrecord
Jamaica is currently being thrashed by one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record in what has been dubbed the "storm of the century," bringing floods and catastrophic winds to the region. Heavy floodwaters swept across southwestern Jamaica, winds tore roofs off buildings and boulders tumbled onto roads on Tuesday, October 28 as Hurricane Melissa made landfall as a catastrophic Category 5 storm. Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica's Disaster Risk Management Council, urged people to seek shelter and stay indoors as the storm crosses the island, warning the people of Jamaica "this is not the time to be brave". The Jamaican government warned of devastating damage as the strongest hurricane to hit the island since recordkeeping began 174 years ago began to rip through the island. Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the government had done all it could to prepare but "there is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5". He added: "The question now is the speed of recovery. That's the challenge." The storm is expected to slice diagonally across the island and head toward Cuba, where intermittent rains were falling. Landslides, fallen trees and numerous power outages were reported as Melissa came ashore near New Hope. Massive wind damage is expected in Melissa's core and Jamaica's highest mountains could see gusts of up to 200 mph (322 kph), said Michael Brennan, director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami. "It's going to be a very dangerous scenario," he said. On Tuesday afternoon, Melissa had top sustained winds of 165 mph (270 kph) and was moving north-northeast at eight mph (13 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. A life-threatening storm surge of up to 13 feet (four meters) is expected across southern Jamaica. In Kingston, officials warned residents of the surrounding area to watch out for crocodiles that might be displaced by flooding. The storm already was blamed for seven deaths in the Caribbean, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing. The government are preparing for rescues immediately after the storm passes. Darryl Vaz, transport and energy minister, said crews will clean and run tests at the island's two main international airports Wednesday in hopes of receiving emergency relief flights as early as Thursday, October 30. U.N. agencies and dozens of non-profits had food, medicine and other essential supplies positioned as they awaited a distribution rush after the storm. In eastern Cuba, Melissa was expected to make landfall on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning. Up to 20 inches (51 centimetres) of rain was forecast in areas, along with a significant storm surge along the coast. In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel urged the population to not underestimate the power of the storm, "the strongest ever to hit national territory."
