Hurricane Melissa strengthens into category 4 as it approaches Jamaica

"Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a powerful category 4 hurricane on Sunday, threatening days of catastrophic winds and rain in the northern Caribbean, with some residents in vulnerable areas of Jamaica refusing to evacuate. Jamaican officials urged those in low-lying and flood-prone areas to seek refuge in the more than 650 shelters activated on the island as Melissa rapidly climbs up the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale with the possibility of intensifying to a category 5 storm on Sunday night."

"Melissa was centred about 120 miles (195km) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 280 miles south-southwest of Guantanamo, Cuba, on Sunday morning. It had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (225km/h) and was moving west at 5mph, the US national hurricane centre said. It was expected to drop torrential rains of up to 760mm (30in) on Jamaica and southern Hispaniola Haiti and the Dominican Republic according to the hurricane centre. Some areas may see as much as 1,010mm of rain."

"The combination of rapid intensification and snail-pace advancement is a recipe for a catastrophic, record-breaking natural disaster, experts said. In its increasingly grim updates, the hurricane centre warned that extensive damage to infrastructure, power and communication outages and the isolation of communities in Jamaica were to be expected. Norman Manley international airport in Kingston was closed on Saturday and officials said they had stocked warehouses across the island with thousands of food packages ready for quick distribution if needed."

Hurricane Melissa intensified to a Category 4 storm and threatened days of catastrophic winds and torrential rainfall across the northern Caribbean. The storm was located about 120 miles south-southeast of Kingston and 280 miles south-southwest of Guantanamo, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph and moving west at 5 mph. Forecasts warned of up to 760 mm of rain across Jamaica and southern Hispaniola, with some areas possibly receiving 1,010 mm. Officials activated more than 650 shelters, closed Norman Manley International Airport, prepositioned thousands of food packages, and urged residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas to evacuate. Some residents in vulnerable Port Royal refused to evacuate.

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