Hurricane Melissa Hits Jamaica, Cuba, Bahamas

Hurricane Melissa, a life-threatening Category 5 storm, is expected to strike southern Jamaica, raising fears over its potential impact on hospitals along the coast.

Authorities in Cuba and the Bahamas have issued evacuation orders as the powerful cyclone advances across the Caribbean, according to the Associated Press.

Jamaica’s Health Minister Christopher Tufton confirmed that patients had been moved from ground floors to upper levels in coastal hospitals as a precaution, expressing hope that these measures would help withstand potential storm surges.

The hurricane has already been blamed for seven deaths across the Caribbean, three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic, with another person reported missing.

According to the New York Times, Hurricane Melissa is the strongest Atlantic storm of the year, with maximum sustained winds reaching 280 kilometers per hour.

The hurricane’s center was located around 240 kilometers southwest of Kingston and roughly 530 kilometers southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, moving north to northeast at 4 kilometers per hour, as reported by the US National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Ivan Thompson, head of Jamaica’s Meteorological Service, urged the nation to stay united, saying they would overcome the crisis together.

Meanwhile, Colin Bogle, a consultant at Mercy Corps near Kingston, noted that many families were sheltering in their homes despite government evacuation orders for flood-prone areas. He added that uncertainty and fear were widespread, with people afraid of losing their homes, livelihoods, or even their lives.

Jamaican Minister of Water and Environment, Matthew Samuda, said over 50 power generators were prepared for post-storm recovery, urging residents to conserve and secure clean water supplies.

The hurricane is expected to reach eastern Cuba late Tuesday as a major storm. Warnings have been issued for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, and Holguín, while a tropical storm warning remains in effect for Las Tunas.

Meteorologists predict rainfall of up to 51 centimeters (20 inches) in parts of Cuba, along with dangerous coastal surges. Cuban officials reported that more than 600,000 people have already been evacuated, including residents of Santiago, the island’s second-largest city.

Hurricane Melissa has also flooded southern areas of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where a tropical storm warning remains active. The storm is forecast to move northeast after crossing Cuba, reaching the southeastern Bahamas by Wednesday evening.