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Hurricane Melissa rapidly intensified into a major Category 3 hurricane as it began dumping torrential rains across the North. Caribbean and the threat of devastating floods and landslides in Jamaica and southern Haiti.
US forecasters have warned that slow-moving Melissa is expected to strengthen further and become a major hurricane when it makes landfall in Jamaica early next week. It should be near or across Cuba by midweek.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said, “I urge Jamaicans to take the threat of this weather seriously.” “Take all measures to protect yourself.”
Melissa’s center was about 125 miles (200 kilometers) south-southeast of kintalJamaica, and about 280 miles (455 kilometers) west-southwest Port-au-PrinceHaiti, late Saturday night. The hurricane center said it had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph) and was moving west at 3 mph (6 kph).
Melissa was expected to drop torrential rainfall of up to 30 inches over Jamaica and southern Hispaniola, Haiti and Haiti. Dominican Republic – According to the storm center.
The Cuban government issued a hurricane warning for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo and Holguín on Saturday afternoon.
slow progress of storm
The erratic and slow-moving storm has killed at least three people in Haiti and a fourth in the Dominican Republic, while another person is missing.
“Unfortunately for places along the projected path of this storm, it continues to be catastrophic,” Jamie Rome, the center’s deputy director, said earlier Saturday. He said that the storm will continue to move slowly for four days.
Jamaican authorities said Saturday that Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston would be closed at 8 p.m. local time. It did not say whether it would close Sangster Airport in Montego Bay on the western side of the island.
More than 650 shelters were activated in Jamaica. Officials said warehouses across the island were well-stocked and thousands of food packages were prepared for quick distribution if needed.
river level rises
Haitian officials said that three people died as a result of the storm and five others were injured by a wall collapse. There were also reports of rising river levels, flooding and the destruction of a bridge due to broken river banks in Sainte-Suzanne in the north-east.
“The way the storm is moving is causing a lot of concern,” said Ronald Delis, director of Haiti’s civil protection department. Local officials organized lines to distribute food kits. Many residents are still hesitant to leave their homes.
The storm damaged about 200 homes and knocked out water supply systems in the Dominican Republic, affecting more than half a million customers. It also downed trees and traffic lights, caused some small landslides and left more than two dozen communities isolated by floodwaters.
The Bahamas Meteorological Department said Melissa could bring tropical storm or hurricane conditions to the southeast and central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands early next week.
Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted an above normal season with 13 to 18 named storms.
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Associated Press writer Evans Sanon in Port-au-Prince, Haiti contributed to this report.