Tropical Storm Melissa Kills 4, Threatens Caribbean with Floods

Tropical Storm Melissa has caused significant devastation across the Caribbean, with at least four fatalities reported—three in Haiti due to landslides and falling trees, and one in the Dominican Republic. The storm has brought heavy rains, flooding, and landslides that have destroyed homes, damaged infrastructure, and caused widespread power and water outages, particularly in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Authorities have issued orange cyclone alerts for multiple departments in Haiti and warned of catastrophic flooding and landslides, with the National Hurricane Center forecasting up to 64 centimeters of rain in affected areas and up to 89 centimeters in Haiti's Tiburon Peninsula. Jamaica is also bracing for the storm's impact, with emergency shelters activated, early closures of financial institutions, and warnings of hurricane conditions lasting over 72 hours. Meteorologists expect Melissa to strengthen into a hurricane over the weekend, increasing risks, and officials across the region continue to urge residents to take necessary precautions against the life-threatening weather conditions. The slow movement of the storm prolongs heavy rainfall and exacerbates flood risks across the Caribbean nations.