Copyright timesnownews
A striking new video captured by a crew member aboard the Teal 74 reconnaissance flight has revealed a remarkably clear view of the eye of Hurricane Melissa, now a powerful Category 5 storm. Upgraded to its maximum strength early Monday, Melissa is inching toward Jamaica, where forecasters warn it could unleash catastrophic flooding, landslides, and widespread devastation. With sustained winds of 175 mph (280 kph), the storm ranks at the top of the Saffir-Simpson scale and is on track to become the strongest hurricane to hit Jamaica since record-keeping began in 1851. By Monday afternoon, Melissa was centered about 145 miles (230 kilometers) southwest of Kingston, moving west-northwest at just 3 mph (5 kph). Meteorologists said its slow pace could lead to prolonged rainfall, with eastern Jamaica expected to receive up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain and western Haiti up to 16 inches (40 centimeters), creating conditions for “catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides,” according to the US National Hurricane Center. Authorities have issued mandatory evacuation orders in flood-prone areas, using buses to move residents to safer shelters. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said he had been “on [his] knees in prayer” as the nation braced for impact. Water and Environment Minister Matthew Samuda warned that “the time for preparation is all but over.” The slow-moving storm has already been blamed for at least six deaths across the northern Caribbean — including three in Haiti, one in the Dominican Republic, and two in Jamaica, where victims were reportedly cutting trees ahead of the hurricane. Cuba is also preparing for Melissa’s arrival, with officials announcing plans to evacuate more than 600,000 people from at-risk regions, including Santiago, the country’s second-largest city.
