Jamaica on High Alert as Hurricane Melissa Nears, Officials Warn of ‘Catastrophic’ Impact

Jamaican authorities have urged residents to seek higher ground and move into shelters as Hurricane Melissa, a powerful Category 5 storm, approaches the island with potentially catastrophic consequences. Prime Minister Andrew Holness warned that the hurricane could cause widespread devastation, describing it as one of the most dangerous storms in Jamaica’s history.

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, Melissa was about 150 miles (240 kilometers) from Kingston late Monday, packing maximum sustained winds of 175 miles per hour. The slow-moving storm has already claimed seven lives across the Caribbean — three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic. Its combination of torrential rain, violent winds, and storm surges could lead to destruction comparable to that of Hurricanes Maria (2017) and Katrina (2005).

Local officials expressed concern that many residents were ignoring evacuation warnings. Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie reported that only 133 of Jamaica’s 880 designated shelters were occupied as of Monday evening. “People should already be moving to high ground,” he cautioned. Prime Minister Holness reiterated that the evacuation order was for “the national good of saving lives,” emphasizing that no infrastructure on the island could withstand a Category 5 storm.

Meteorologists have warned of “catastrophic” flooding, landslides, and wind damage, with rainfall projected to reach up to 40 inches (one meter). Storm surges as high as 13 feet (4 meters) are expected along Jamaica’s southern coast. After battering the island, Melissa is forecast to move across eastern Cuba on Tuesday night. Scientists attribute the storm’s intensity and slow movement to climate change, noting that such extreme weather events are becoming increasingly frequent across the Caribbean.