Hurricane Melissa Strengthens to Major Category 4 Storm, Threatening Northern Caribbean
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Hurricane Melissa has intensified into a major Category 4 hurricane, with the potential to strengthen further into a Category 5 storm Sunday night. The hurricane is unleashing torrential rains and poses a severe flooding threat across the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported.
The NHC added that Melissa is expected to reach the southern coast of Jamaica as a major hurricane late Monday or Tuesday morning, urging residents to seek shelter immediately.
“I urge Jamaicans to take this weather threat seriously,” said Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. “Take all measures to protect yourself.”
As of Sunday morning, Melissa was centered approximately 120 miles (195 kilometers) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 280 miles (450 kilometers) south-southwest of Guantanamo, Cuba. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (225 kph) and was moving west at 5 mph (8 kph).
Heavy Rainfall and Widespread Impact Expected
Melissa is forecast to drop torrential rains of up to 30 inches (760 millimeters) on Jamaica and southern Hispaniola, including Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Some areas could see as much as 40 inches (1,010 millimeters) of rainfall.
The hurricane center warned of extensive damage to infrastructure, power and communication outages, and the potential isolation of communities in Jamaica.
After affecting Jamaica, Melissa should be near or over Cuba by late Tuesday, potentially bringing up to 12 inches (300 millimeters) of rain before moving toward the Bahamas late Wednesday.
In response, the Cuban government issued a hurricane watch Saturday afternoon for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, and Holguin.
Storm’s Slow Progress and Fatalities
The erratic and slow-moving hurricane has already claimed at least three lives in Haiti and a fourth in the Dominican Republic, where another person is still missing.
“Unfortunately for places along the projected path of this storm, it is increasingly dire,” said Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the NHC, earlier on Saturday. He added that Melissa is expected to continue moving slowly for up to four days.
Jamaica Prepares for Impact
Authorities in Jamaica announced Saturday that the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston would close at 8 p.m. local time. It remains unclear whether the Sangster airport in Montego Bay on the island’s western side will also close.
More than 650 shelters have been activated across Jamaica. Officials confirmed that warehouses are well-stocked with thousands of food packages prepositioned for rapid distribution if needed.
Rising River Levels and Damage in Haiti and Dominican Republic
Haitian authorities reported three deaths linked to the hurricane and five injuries caused by a collapsed wall. Rising river levels, flooding, and a destroyed bridge due to breached riverbanks have been reported in Sainte-Suzanne in northeast Haiti.
Ronald Délice, a Haitian civil protection director, expressed concern about the storm’s trajectory. Local authorities are organizing lines for food kit distributions, although many residents remain reluctant to leave their homes.
In the Dominican Republic, Melissa has damaged nearly 200 homes and disrupted water supply systems affecting more than half a million people. The storm also downed trees and traffic lights, caused small landslides, and isolated over two dozen communities with floodwaters.
Threat to The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos
The Bahamas Department of Meteorology warned that tropical storm or hurricane conditions could affect islands in the Southeast and Central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands by early next week.
Season Overview
Melissa is the 13th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which officially runs from June 1 to November 30. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had forecast an above-normal season, predicting 13 to 18 named storms.
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Associated Press writer Evens Sanon in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, contributed to this report.