Hurricane Melissa approaches Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa is on its way to Jamaica as a Category 5 storm. It's expected to bring torrential rains and catastrophic flooding.
Forceful gales
Expected to make landfall by Tuesday morning, latest, Hurricane Melissa is already bending palm trees along the beach of Jamaica's capital, Kingston. With wind speeds of 260 kilometers per hour (162 miles per hour), the storm is also expected to bring record-breaking rains, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Slow and dangerous
People fill sandbags on Port Royal beach. Hurricane Melissa's slow speed is particularly alarming, inching along at barely seven kilometers per hour. This means the island is exposed to the storm's destructive force for longer. According to the Jamaican Meteorological Service, Melissa could be the strongest storm the country has experienced in decades.
Storm clouds over Kingston
Hurricane Melissa was declared a Category 5 storm on Monday. This is the highest possible rating, and it could make this the worst storm in the island's history. According to the NHC, the hurricane could continue to gain strength before making landfall.
'Catastrophic event'
A cyclist in Portmore, Jamaica, seeks shelter from the wind and rain. Experts are predicting as much as 40 inches (102 centimeters) of rain in just a few days. "This extreme rainfall potential, owing to the slow motion, is going to create a catastrophic event for Jamaica," said NHC Deputy Director Jamie Rhome.
Warning of what's to come
The NHC warned that the hurricane would bring "destructive rains," "catastrophic flooding" and "life-threatening storm surges." Extensive damage to infrastructure as well as power and communication outages are also expected. This streetlight was knocked down by strong winds on Sunday.
Bearing down on the Caribbean
Melissa had been raging over the Caribbean for days before taking aim a Jamaica. In the Dominican Republic, the tropical storm flooded parts of the capital, as seen here. Landslides and falling trees have killed at least four in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
'Get to safety now'
A man reinforces his roof in Kingston. "Conditions will deteriorate very, very quickly in the next few hours," warned Rhome from the hurricane center, appealing to the Jamaican population: "Get to safety now." The Jamaican weather service expects storm surges of up to four meters on the south coast of the country.
Flights grounded
Saturday evening, operations at the Norman Manley International Airport were suspended in preparation for the hurricane. Jamaica's Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, called on the population to stay at home if possible and to follow official directives. The island's disaster response agency has established nearly 900 emergency shelters, and mandatory evacuations were ordered in several coastal areas.
Final preparations
Workers in Santiago de Cuba are cutting back trees as the island braces itself for Melissa to strike. The storm is expected to reach Cuba on Tuesday evening, and the Bahamas on Wednesday. This the 13th storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which lasts from June to November. According to experts, global warming has increased the frequency of severe storms.