Catastrophic Hurricane Melissa: Historic Category 4 Storm Devastates Jamaica, Threatens Cuba

Hurricane Melissa advanced toward Cuba's second-largest city with the intensity of a Category 4 storm on Tuesday, shortly after striking Jamaica as the most powerful cyclone ever recorded to hit the Caribbean island.

Melissa made landfall near Jamaica's southwestern town of New Hope with sustained winds reaching 185 mph (295 kph), according to the US National Hurricane Center. This significantly exceeded the 157 mph (252 kph) threshold for Category 5 classification, the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale.

The storm devastated southwestern Jamaica, leaving the parish of St. Elizabeth "underwater" and cutting power to over 500,000 residents.

"We have reports of damage to hospitals, significant damage to residential and commercial properties, as well as our road infrastructure," Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness stated on CNN after the hurricane passed.

While no confirmed storm-related deaths had been reported, Holness acknowledged that given Melissa's strength and the extensive damage, "we are expecting that there would be some loss of life."

The hurricane's winds decreased to 145 mph (233 kph) as it moved across Jamaica's mountainous terrain, threatening highland communities with landslides and flooding.

Forecasters projected Melissa would curve northeast toward Santiago de Cuba, the country's second most populous city.

"We should already be feeling its main influence this afternoon and evening," Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel warned in state newspaper Granma, urging citizens to follow evacuation orders.

"There will be a lot of work to do. We know that this cyclone will cause significant damage."

Cuban authorities evacuated approximately 500,000 people to higher ground. In the Bahamas, which lies in Melissa's northeastern path, the government ordered evacuations from southern areas of the archipelago.

Further east, Haiti and the Dominican Republic experienced days of torrential rainfall resulting in at least four deaths, according to authorities.

Jamaican media reported three deaths during storm preparations, and a disaster coordinator suffered a stroke as the storm approached. By late Tuesday, many areas remained isolated.

Though familiar with hurricanes, Jamaica had never previously experienced a direct hit from a Category 4 or 5 storm. The government requested international assistance even before Melissa's arrival.

AccuWeather meteorologists ranked Melissa as the Caribbean's third most intense hurricane on record, following Wilma (2005) and Gilbert (1988) – the last major hurricane to strike Jamaica directly.

"It's a catastrophic situation," said World Meteorological Organization tropical cyclone specialist Anne-Claire Fontan, warning of storm surges up to 4 meters high. "For Jamaica, it will be the storm of the century for sure."

Colin Bogle, an adviser to Mercy Corps in Portmore near Kingston, described hearing a loud explosion before losing power. Sheltering with his grandmother, he witnessed violent winds tossing trees furiously.

"People are scared. Memories of Hurricane Gilbert run deep, and there is frustration that Jamaica continues to face the worst consequences of a climate crisis we did not cause," he said.

Scientists warn that storms are intensifying more rapidly and frequently due to warming ocean temperatures. Many Caribbean leaders have urged wealthy, high-emission nations to provide reparations through aid or debt relief to vulnerable island nations.

Melissa gained tremendous size and strength while passing over unusually warm Caribbean waters, but forecasters cautioned that its slow movement could prove especially destructive.

Bogle emphasized that food aid would be crucial, along with tools, vehicle parts, and seeds for farmers. Like last year's devastating Hurricane Beryl, Melissa traversed some of Jamaica's most productive agricultural regions.

On Monday, Holness stated that the government had allocated an emergency budget of $33 million, with insurance and credit provisions for damage exceeding that caused by Beryl.

Melissa made landfall between Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth parishes in southwestern Jamaica, areas severely impacted by Beryl previously.

Local government minister Desmond McKenzie reported that St. Elizabeth was completely submerged. The parish's only public hospital lost power and sustained severe damage to one building.

Several families were stranded in their homes, but rescue teams managed to reach one group that included four babies, McKenzie confirmed.

In Portland Cottage, approximately 150 km (94 miles) from the landfall site, 64-year-old retiree Collin Henry McDonald told Reuters that his community was experiencing strong rain and winds, though his concrete roof remained intact.

"It's like a roaring lion. It's mad. Really mad," he described.

By Tuesday evening, approximately 15,000 Jamaicans had sought refuge in temporary shelters, according to McKenzie. Despite mandatory evacuation orders for 28,000 people, many residents were reluctant to abandon their homes.

The International Federation of the Red Cross estimated that up to 1.5 million people in Jamaica would be directly affected by the hurricane.