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Hurricane Melissa has shut down Jamaica's airports and is disrupting flights through the Caribbean. A map published by FlightRadar at around 8 a.m. ET on Wednesday shows how flights to and from the US are avoiding the hurricane, which is the most powerful ever to hit Jamaica. As the hurricane moved north over Cuba, flights between Florida and the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico were forced to take longer routes around it. There are no flights coming in or out of Jamaica, where Melissa first made landfall, leaving many travelers stranded. Montego Bay Sangster International Airport was particularly hard hit. Daryl Vaz, the country's energy and transport minister, said the country's busiest airport may have suffered "potential disabling impact." Footage obtained by the Jamaica Observer appeared to show rain pouring into the terminal through damaged ceiling tiles, flooding parts of the departure lounge. Vaz said relief flights for the north of the island may instead land at the smaller Ian Fleming Airport. He added that Norman Manley International Airport, which serves the capital, Kingston, is expected to be able to receive relief flights on Thursday. The airports play a vital role in the island's economy, with tourism responsible for a third of its annual revenue. Related stories Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Hurricane Melissa brought sustained winds of 185 mph — stronger than those at the peak of Hurricane Katrina. The storm is so severe that military hurricane hunters were forced to turn back while entering the eye of the storm on Tuesday. The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, part of the US Air Force Reserve, said one of its crews encountered "heavy turbulence" and had to return to Curaçao. "During the event, the aircraft briefly experienced forces stronger than normal due to turbulence," it said in a statement. "While this does not automatically indicate damage, standard safety procedures require an inspection before returning to operations."
