Category 5 Hurricane Melissa Threatens Jamaica: Red Cross Warns 1.5 Million People at Risk of "Massive Impact"

After striking Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa is expected to move across eastern Cuba Tuesday night.

Switzerland:

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies announced Tuesday that Hurricane Melissa could impact approximately 1.5 million people in Jamaica, warning of potentially "massive impact."

The Category 5 hurricane, potentially the most violent storm in the island's recorded history, is moving slowly through the Caribbean and expected to make landfall on Jamaica's coast Tuesday.

"1.5 million people may be impacted," stated Necephor Mghendi, the IFRC's head of delegation for the English- and Dutch-speaking Caribbean.

Speaking from Trinidad and Tobago, he informed reporters in Geneva that this figure could be "an underestimate."

"The humanitarian threat is severe and it's immediate," he emphasized.

Mghendi reported that the Jamaican Red Cross had activated its highest level of response, but noted "coastal communities remain financially strained, informal settlements are highly exposed to destructive winds and already saturated soils."

"This is because it's been the rainy season and there is an increased likelihood of landslides and life-threatening floods," he explained.

'Catastrophic' Flooding Predicted

The World Meteorological Organisation indicated the hurricane was expected to have a "massive impact."

"The wind for Jamaica is expected to reach about 280 kilometres per hour, with gusts picking up to 350 km per hour," said Anne-Claire Fontan, the WMO's tropical cyclone specialist.

"For Jamaica it will be the storm of the century so far. That's for sure."

She indicated rainfall could reach up to 700 millimetres.

"It means that there will be catastrophic flash floodings and numerous landslides," Fontan warned.

"In addition to the rain and the destructive wind, you will have a storm surge that is expected as well on the southern coast of Jamaica, 3-4 metres high, in addition to destructive waves."

"We have to expect the worst for this situation unfolding now."

Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN's humanitarian agency OCHA, emphasized that the primary responsibility was "to save as many lives as possible" by mitigating the impact.

"When you have massive flooding, one of the biggest problems is water," he stated, warning of "all kinds of health risks and epidemic risks if you don't have clean water."

After hitting Jamaica, Melissa is forecast to cross over eastern Cuba on Tuesday night.