Melissa Makes First Category 5 Jamaica Landfall

Melissa struck Jamaica as an extraordinarily powerful Category 5 hurricane with estimated sustained winds near 185 mph and a central pressure around 892 mb, making the first recorded Category 5 landfall on the island. The storm produced catastrophic winds, storm surge, flash flooding and landslides, leaving widespread infrastructure damage, power and communications outages, submerged parts of St. Elizabeth, and damage to a public hospital. Authorities reported roughly 15,000 people in shelters, mandatory evacuations affecting about 28,000 people, and up to 1.5 million Jamaicans directly threatened. At least seven hurricane-related deaths have been reported across the Caribbean (three in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic) as initial damage assessments are under way. After crossing Jamaica, Melissa weakened over the island's mountains but remained a major hurricane and made landfall near Chivirico in eastern Cuba as a Category 3 with roughly 115–120 mph winds, prompting mass evacuations and warnings. Forecasters warned of life‑threatening flooding, numerous landslides and storm surge up to around 12 feet as Melissa moves into the southeastern and central Bahamas, and U.S. officials said they stand ready to provide humanitarian aid.