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A record-breaking Category 5 storm is ripping across Jamaica with sustained winds around 295 km/h, flattening homes, cutting power and leaving emergency crews unable to reach many communities. Meteorological update Hurricane Melissa has slammed into Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded – a catastrophic Category 5 system packing sustained winds of around 295km/h (185mph) and an estimated central pressure of 892 millibars. The National Hurricane Centre confirmed landfall near the island’s south-west coast early Tuesday afternoon, warning that Melissa will “wreak life-threatening destruction across Jamaica before moving toward Cuba and the Bahamas”. Meteorologists say the storm’s slow movement means “an extended period of catastrophic winds, torrential rainfall and extreme flooding.” Streets underwater – and no way out In Kingston, Montego Bay and Negril, entire streets are reported to be underwater. Trees have been torn from their roots, cars flipped, and roofs sheared off. The Jamaican government has declared a national emergency, urging people to remain indoors and avoid any attempt to travel – even when the eye passes overhead. Prime Minister Andrew Holness warned that “no infrastructure in Jamaica is built to withstand a Category 5 storm of this magnitude.” Casualties rising across the Caribbean Initial reports suggest at least seven fatalities across the region – three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic – though officials expect those numbers to rise as communication is restored. Hospitals in Kingston are operating on backup generators, while rescue efforts in rural areas have been suspended due to 200 km/h gusts and falling debris. Footage from a Hurricane Hunters flight into Melissa’s eye revealed the rarely seen “colosseum effect” — a striking formation where the clouds rise and curve inward, creating the appearance of a towering arena. Walls of water and torrents from the mountains Storm surges of up to four metres (13 feet) are crashing onto Jamaica’s southern coastline, inundating coastal settlements. At the same time, meteorologists warn of up to 40 inches (1 metre) of rainfall in mountainous zones like the Blue Mountains, triggering landslides and catastrophic flooding. “We are facing a dual disaster – the sea is rising, and the hills are collapsing,” said a spokesperson for Jamaica’s disaster management agency. Cuba and The Bahamas prepare for the worst After hammering Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa is projected to follow on north-east, threatening eastern Cuba and the Bahamas by late Wednesday. Forecasters say that although some weakening is possible, Melissa will remain an “extremely dangerous Category 4 or 5 hurricane” as it moves across the Caribbean. Residents in the storm’s path are being told to prepare for “complete loss of power and communication,” and to relocate if local authorities order evacuations. Infrastructure paralysed Flights to and from the island are cancelled as airports in Kingston and Montego Bay have been closed indefinitely. And the country’s main highways are also impassable due to flooding and fallen power lines. Global aid mobilising The United Nations and Red Cross are preparing emergency shipments of clean water, food and medical supplies. Several Caribbean governments have pledged support teams once conditions allow safe access. But for now, Jamaicans are being urged to stay put. “Do not go outside. Do not take risks,” is the message from Disaster Management Minister Desmond McKenzie. “This storm is still tearing across our island”.
