MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Category 5 Hurricane Melissa nearing Jamaica

Over 881 shelters are available in Jamaica, Minister McKenzie stressed

Hurricane Melissa, a catastrophic Category 5 storm, is accelerating toward Jamaica and eastern Cuba, prompting urgent government and relief preparations across the region. With maximum sustained winds of 260 km/h, the storm is expected to deliver destructive winds, storm surges, and catastrophic flooding.

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) bulletin released Monday, Melissa was moving west-northwest at 6 km/h. The storm was last located 205 km south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and is forecast to move “near or over Jamaica tonight, Tuesday.” Melissa is then expected to hit southeastern Cuba and the entire southeastern Bahamas on Wednesday.

The NHC warned of extreme rainfall totals, potentially causing life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides. In Jamaica, forecasts call for 15 to 30 inches of rain, while in Eastern Cuba, rainfall is expected on average between 10 and 15 inches, with localized totals reaching 20 inches. Additionally, parts of southern Hispaniola -the island split between the Dominican Republic and Haiti- may receive 8 to 16 inches of rain, with local totals up to 40 inches possible.

Jamaica's Local Government and Community Development Minister Desmond McKenzie assured the public that the country's shelters were safe and prepared for the severe weather, urging vulnerable residents to evacuate. “I want to put everyone at ease where this is concerned. Every one of our over 881 shelters across Jamaica is run by a shelter manager who has a support team... Police will be patrolling the various spaces before and after the Hurricane,” the Minister said on Monday.

He stressed that shelters were clean, provisioned, and would house men and women separately (except for families). “Personal, community, and national recovery from this historically serious hurricane is only possible if you are alive and well to make it happen,” McKenzie stated, imploring residents in vulnerable areas to cooperate with disaster coordinators and security forces.

In Florida, US-based charitable organizations are mobilizing relief supplies, preparing two containers packed with family care packages for immediate shipment to Jamaica once the storm passes.

The effort is coordinated by Caribbean Strong, a volunteer network led by Marlon Hill, in partnership with the Global Empowerment Mission (GEM). Each container holds family necessity kits designed to support two people for up to four days, including water, non-perishable foods, hygiene products, and portable lighting. Hill stated that distribution will be prioritized based on the hardest-hit areas, recalling that last year's relief focused on communities like Treasure Beach and Rocky Point after Hurricane Beryl. “I’m not usually someone who gets concerned, but this one worries me deeply... This storm is projected to hit St Elizabeth, one of our breadbasket parishes. That’s going to have a huge impact on our food supply and overall recovery,” said Hill, a native of the affected area.