KINGSTON, Jamaica – Hurricane Melissa, a monstrous Category 5 storm, slammed into Jamaica today, unleashing ferocious winds and torrential downpours that authorities warn will result in “catastrophic” flooding and devastation across the island nation. This slow-moving colossus is being called the strongest hurricane to make a direct hit on Jamaica in recorded history.
With sustained winds reaching an astonishing 185 mph, Melissa made landfall on the southwestern coast near New Hope, immediately tearing roofs from buildings, uprooting trees, and transforming roadways into raging rivers. The sheer power of the winds and the expected rainfall—up to 40 inches in isolated areas—guarantee a humanitarian crisis, according to disaster management officials.
Infrastructure Overwhelmed: ‘No Infrastructure Can Withstand a Category 5
The gravity of the threat was not lost on the government. Prime Minister Andrew Holness had earlier issued a bleak forecast, stating, “There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5. The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge.”
Initial reports confirm the fears, painting a picture of widespread destruction:
- Widespread Power Outages: Over 240,000 customers were without electricity even before the storm’s core reached the coast, with critical transmission lines forced out of service.
- Life-Threatening Surge: A storm surge of up to 13 feet is anticipated along the low-lying southern coast, threatening coastal hospitals and communities that were under mandatory evacuation orders.
- Isolation of Communities: Landslides, flooding, and toppled trees have blocked numerous roads, raising immediate concerns about isolating rural communities and hampering initial rescue efforts.
Desmond McKenzie, Deputy Chair of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council, pleaded with residents to stay indoors, warning, “Jamaica, this is not the time to be brave.“
A Climate Change Monster
The extraordinary, rapid intensification of Melissa—with wind speeds nearly doubling in just 24 hours—has been linked by climate scientists to the unusually warm waters of the Caribbean. The storm’s immense power, coupled with its sluggish advance, means it will hover over the island for hours, compounding the damage from both wind and rain.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned in its latest advisory of “total structural failure” possible near the storm’s core, underscoring the severity of the life-threatening situation.
Regional Tragedy
Even before striking Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa had left a path of death and destruction across the Caribbean, contributing to at least seven fatalities, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic.
As the Category 5 storm slices diagonally across Jamaica, attention is also turning to eastern Cuba, which is bracing for Melissa’s arrival late today or early tomorrow, though at a slightly diminished, but still powerful, intensity. Authorities there have evacuated hundreds of thousands of residents from vulnerable areas.
For Jamaica’s 2.8 million residents, the next several hours are a battle for survival. The focus will soon shift from immediate survival to the monumental task of rebuilding, a task the international community is already preparing to support with pre-positioned relief supplies.