Catastrophic Hurricane Melissa Jamaica Confronts an Unprecedented Threat
Hurricane Melissa Jamaica is facing a direct and unprecedented impact from a catastrophic Category 5 storm. On Monday afternoon, Hurricane Melissa was intensifying with sustained winds reaching 175 mph (282 kph), positioning itself as potentially the largest hurricane on record for the Caribbean island. The slow-moving storm was on a trajectory to barrel directly into Jamaica, promising days of devastating weather conditions.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), the storm was classified as “catastrophic,” the highest possible rating on the Saffir-Simpson scale. As of 2 p.m. (1800 GMT), the NHC forecast projected Melissa would move over Jamaica late Monday or early Tuesday, cross eastern Cuba the following night, and reach the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos by Wednesday. Forecasters attributed the storm’s ballooning size and strength to its slow movement over unusually warm Caribbean waters, threatening the island with never-before-seen catastrophic winds and up to three feet of rain. Melissa’s wind span is currently larger than the length of Jamaica itself, an island roughly the size of Connecticut, whose critical airports sit perilously close to sea level.
Dire Warnings and Massive Evacuations
In response to the looming disaster, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness issued mandatory evacuation orders for parts of southern Jamaica, including the historic town of Port Royal. Hours after the order, he called for international support and warned of severe damage to farmlands, homes, and essential infrastructure such as bridges, roads, ports, and airports. “There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5,” he stated bluntly. Despite the warnings, authorities reported that some residents were reluctant to leave their homes due to fears of looting, with buses standing by to transport an estimated 28,000 people affected by the evacuation orders.
Prime Minister Holness assured the public that his government was as prepared as possible, with an emergency response budget of $33 million and insurance and credit provisions for damage expected to exceed that of last year’s devastating Hurricane Beryl. AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter emphasized the grave situation, stating, “Tens of thousands of families are facing hours of extreme wind gusts above 100 mph and days of relentless, torrential rainfall.” He added that infrastructure damage could severely hamper the arrival of crucial aid, noting, “Slow-moving major hurricanes often go down in history as some of the deadliest and most destructive storms on record. This is a dire situation unfolding in slow motion.”
An Unprecedented Event for the Island
Evan Thompson of Jamaica’s Meteorological Service confirmed that while the island has endured significant hurricanes in the past, such as Category 4 Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, a direct hit from a Category 5 storm would be entirely unprecedented. Meteorologist Jonathan Porter further highlighted that Melissa is moving much slower than Gilbert, meaning residents must prepare to hunker down for days, with some communities potentially being cut off for weeks. The storm’s slow pace exacerbates the risk of catastrophic flooding and wind damage.
The dire reality of being cut off was already dawning for some communities. Damian Anderson, a 47-year-old teacher from Hagley Gap, a town nestled in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains, reported that impassable roads had already isolated his community. “We can’t move,” Anderson said. “We’re scared. We’ve never seen a multi-day event like this before.” The storm’s outer bands have already brought torrential downpours to nearby Haiti and the Dominican Republic, leading to at least four reported deaths.
Regional Preparations Underway
The threat from Hurricane Melissa has triggered large-scale preparations across the Caribbean. In Haiti, a nation already impoverished by gang violence, authorities suspended flights to the southern peninsula, banned sailing, and moved more than 3,650 residents into temporary shelters. Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis also ordered evacuations for people in the southern and eastern parts of his archipelago.
Cuba is undertaking one of the largest evacuation efforts in the region. Authorities have evacuated upwards of 500,000 people living in coastal and mountainous areas vulnerable to flooding and heavy winds. Schools and transport have been canceled across eastern Cuba, with more than 250,000 people brought to shelters in and around Santiago de Cuba, the island’s second-largest city, which lies directly in the predicted path of the hurricane.
