Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Jamaica is bracing for catastrophic devastation as Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm described by experts as the “storm of the century” for the Caribbean, approaches the island with sustained winds of 180 miles per hour.
According to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), the hurricane is about 45 miles (70 kilometres) from Jamaica as of 8 pm IST and is expected to make landfall within the next few hours.
“This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” the NHC said, urging residents to “take cover now.”
The centre warned that failing to “adequately shelter” could lead to serious injury or loss of life. It advised people to stay in interior rooms without windows, ideally away from trees, and to use mattresses or helmets for additional protection.
An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft has confirmed that Melissa continues to strengthen, recording maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (290 kph).
The NHC cautioned residents not to leave shelters, saying winds would intensify rapidly within the storm’s eyewall.
The government of Jamaica has ordered evacuations in low-lying areas and closed schools and airports ahead of the hurricane’s arrival.
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has warned that Melissa will bring wind gusts exceeding 300 kilometres per hour, storm surges up to four metres, and rainfall surpassing 70 centimetres.
These conditions are expected to trigger severe flash floods and landslides across the island.
Meteorologists predict the storm will enter near St. Elizabeth parish in the south, slice diagonally across the island, and exit around St. Ann parish in the north.
The United Nations’ International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has announced that it will send emergency supplies including solar lamps, blankets, indoor tents, and generators from its logistics hub in Barbados once the storm passes.
The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) said that more than 1.5 million people in Jamaica are likely to be directly affected. “Roofs will be tested, flood waters will rise, isolation will become a harsh reality for many,” said IFRC’s Necephor Mghendi.
Reports from The Guardian indicate that violent winds and heavy rainfall have already caused power outages in several parishes, including Portland, St Thomas, St Andrew, Manchester, St Elizabeth, and Westmoreland.
The outages have affected parts of the island’s tourist hotspots such as Negril and Treasure Beach.
Forecasters attribute the hurricane’s unprecedented strength to unusually warm Caribbean waters, which have fuelled Melissa’s rapid intensification and massive scale, according to Reuters.
