Hurricane Melissa is about to pummel Jamaica as a catastrophic Class 5 storm, the strongest to lash the island since recordkeeping started 174 years in the past.
The storm was anticipated to make landfall early on Tuesday (Tuesday night time AEST) and slice diagonally throughout the island, coming into close to St Elizabeth parish within the south and exiting round St Ann parish within the north, forecasters mentioned. Shortly after, it’s anticipated to hit Cuba.
Hours earlier than the storm, the Jamaican authorities mentioned it had carried out all it may to organize because it warned of catastrophic harm.
“There isn’t a infrastructure within the area that may stand up to a Class 5,” Prime Minister Andrew Holness mentioned. “The query now could be the velocity of restoration. That is the problem.”
Melissa is the fifth most intense Atlantic basin hurricane on report by strain, and the strongest such hurricane to make landfall since Hurricane Dorian in 2019, in accordance with hurricane specialist and storm surge skilled Michael Lowry.
It’s “a worst-case situation unfolding for Jamaica,” he mentioned.
Landslides, fallen bushes and quite a few energy outages have been reported forward of the storm, with officers in Jamaica cautioning that the cleanup and harm evaluation can be gradual.
A life-threatening storm surge of as much as 4 metres is anticipated throughout southern Jamaica, with officers involved concerning the impression on some hospitals alongside the shoreline. Well being Minister Christopher Tufton mentioned some sufferers have been relocated from the bottom ground to the second ground, “and (we) hope that can suffice for any surge that can happen”.
The storm already was blamed for seven deaths within the Caribbean, together with three in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one within the Dominican Republic, the place one other particular person stays lacking.
Jamaica braces for catastrophic harm
On Tuesday morning (early Wednesday AEDT), Melissa was centred about 80 kilometres south-southeast of Negril, Jamaica, and about 420 kilometres south-west of Guantánamo, Cuba.
The system had most sustained winds of 280km/h and was shifting north-north-east at 11km/h, in accordance with the US Nationwide Hurricane Centre in Miami.
“We are going to get by way of it collectively,” mentioned Evan Thompson, principal director at Jamaica’s meteorological service.
Colin Bogle, a Mercy Corps advisor based mostly close to Kingston, mentioned most households are sheltering in place regardless of the federal government ordering evacuations in flood-prone communities.
“Many have by no means skilled something like this earlier than, and the uncertainty is horrifying,” he mentioned. “There may be profound concern of shedding properties and livelihoods, of damage, and of displacement.”
Necephor Mghendi, the worldwide Crimson Cross’ regional head of delegation for the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, mentioned that an estimated 1.5 million individuals within the storm’s path will probably be affected, however many others could also be as nicely.
Matthew Samuda, Jamaica’s water and atmosphere minister, mentioned he had greater than 50 turbines out there to deploy after the storm, however warned individuals to put aside clear water and use it sparingly.
“Each drop will depend,” he mentioned.
Melissa takes intention at Cuba
Melissa additionally was anticipated to make landfall in jap Cuba late on Tuesday as a robust hurricane.
A hurricane warning was in impact for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo and Holguin provinces, whereas a tropical storm warning was in impact for Las Tunas. As much as 51 centimetres of rain have been forecast for elements of Cuba, together with a big storm surge alongside the coast.
Cuban officers mentioned on Monday that they have been evacuating greater than 600,000 individuals from the area, together with Santiago, the island’s second-largest metropolis.
Melissa additionally has drenched the southern areas of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with a tropical storm warning nonetheless in impact for Haiti.
The hurricane was forecast to show northeast after Cuba and strike the southeast Bahamas by Wednesday night.
A hurricane warning was in impact for the southeastern and central Bahamas, and a tropical storm warning was issued for the Turks and Caicos Islands.
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