"Hurricane Melissa was set to pummel Jamaica on Tuesday as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, the strongest to lash the island since recordkeeping began 174 years ago. The storm was expected to make landfall early Tuesday and slice diagonally across the island, entering near St. Elizabeth parish in the south and exiting around St. Ann parish in the north, forecasters said."
"Hours before the storm, the government said it had done all it could to prepare as it warned of catastrophic damage. There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5. The question now is the speed of recovery. That's the challenge. Landslides, fallen trees and numerous power outages were reported ahead of the storm, with officials in Jamaica cautioning that the cleanup and damage assessment would be slow. A life-threatening storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters) is expected across southern Jamaica, with officials concerned about the impact on some hospitals along the coastline. Health Minister Christopher Tufton said some patients were relocated from the ground floor to the second floor, and [we] hope that will suffice for any surge that will take place."
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a catastrophic Category 5, the strongest to affect the island in 174 years. The storm tracked diagonally, entering near St. Elizabeth parish and exiting near St. Ann parish. Maximum sustained winds reached 175 mph (280 kph) while the system moved slowly north-northeast at about 2 mph (4 kph). A life-threatening storm surge up to 13 feet (4 meters) was expected across southern Jamaica, threatening coastal hospitals. Landslides, fallen trees and widespread power outages were reported, and the storm was blamed for seven deaths across the Caribbean. Cleanup and damage assessment will be slow, and existing infrastructure cannot withstand Category 5 impacts, complicating recovery.
Read at english.elpais.com
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