Category‑5 Hurricane Melissa is moving toward Jamaica, threatening to devastate roads, homes and power grids, while Jamaica’s Prime Minister declares a state of emergency on Tuesday.
Hurricane Melissa Targets Jamaica
Category‑5 Hurricane Melissa is approaching the island, with meteorologists warning of severe damage to roads, homes and power lines that could cut entire communities offline. Main airports have been shut, leaving residents and many American tourists trapped, while grocery stores in Kingston report empty shelves and families are advised to stay indoors. ABC News describes the storm as the “worst‑case scenario for Jamaica”, noting 265 km/h winds and heavy rain expected to persist until Tuesday afternoon, threatened flooding and landslides, and a record storm surge that could strike the south coast, including Kingston.
Government Declares State of Emergency
Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that the nation is declared a risk zone under the Disaster Risk Management Act, granting authorities the power to take all necessary measures to protect life and property. Shelters are open, rescue teams are on standby, and mandatory evacuations have been ordered for vulnerable coastal and low‑lying communities. More than $400 million has been allocated to clear channels and prepare local infrastructure, while full support and reconstruction plans have been activated. Security forces and relief workers are mobilised to maintain order and provide assistance before, during, and after the storm.
International Warnings Issued
Warnings have been issued for the central and southeastern Bahamas, as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands, as the hurricane moves over the West Indies.
Storm Forecast in Eastern Cuba
American meteorologist Mike Seidel on X warned of a “monstrous category‑5” force that will bring destructive winds, storm surges, and catastrophic floods over Jamaica tonight and into the night, and expects a subsequent impact on eastern Cuba. An RMF FM correspondent in the United States, Paweł Żuchowski, repeated that Hurricane Melissa has grown in strength and will become a catastrophic storm heading toward Jamaica, and that it “could be a massacre”.
