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Cubans flee the coast as Hurricane Melissa looms
As Hurricane Melissa neared, residents of southeastern Cuba fled inland through pouring rain, seeking safety from the approaching storm. Families carrying their loved ones and a few hastily gathered belongings along muddy, tree-lined paths. Others, visibly shaken, crowded onto packed buses or climbed into waiting trucks evacuating them from danger. Heavy rain, dark skies, and turbulent seas had already begun battering the island.
Melissa stands out as one of the most powerful in a series of massive Atlantic storms, scientists say
Scientists say Hurricane Melissa defied expectations, powering up despite at least three atmospheric factors that typically weaken major storms. They noted with some astonishment that while many modern hurricanes undergo rapid intensification, which is often an increase of 35 mph in 24 hours, Melissa went far beyond that. It experienced extreme rapid intensification, strengthening by nearly 70 mph in just a day, and then surged again in a rare second burst that drove its winds to 175 mph.
Category 5 Hurricane Melissa brings flooding and catastrophic winds to Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa battered southwestern Jamaica with ferocious winds and flooding, ripping roofs from buildings and sending boulders crashing onto roads. The catastrophic Category 5 storm, among the most powerful ever recorded in the Atlantic, brought landslides, downed trees, and widespread power outages as it made landfall near New Hope with winds of 185 mph (295 kph). Officials warned that recovery and damage assessment would take time.
Hurricane Melissa moves towards Cuba; Jamaica gauges the devastation
Hurricane Melissa tore across Jamaica on Tuesday, unleashing torrential rain and destruction after hitting land as one of the most powerful Category 5 storms on record. It moved off Jamaica’s north coast and is headed toward Cuba after strengthening to Category 4.
Record-breaking Category 5 Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa slammed into Jamaica as the most powerful storm to ever strike the island since recordkeeping began 174 years ago, matching the strongest Atlantic hurricane to make landfall. The Category 5 system, packing sustained winds of 185 mph (295 kph), is cutting a diagonal path across the country, from St. Elizabeth in the south to St. Ann in the north.
Hurricane Melissa, a record-tying Category 5 storm, devastated Jamaica and is tracking north-northeast toward Cuba. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness called the destruction unprecedented and warned that recovery will be slow, with hospitals, homes, and businesses heavily impacted. Authorities opened over 800 shelters for about 15,000 people, yet many remain stranded in western parishes as roughly 540,000 customers lost power island-wide. Cuba has evacuated more than 735,000 residents amid forecasts of 8–12 feet of storm surge and 10–20 inches of rain, with localized totals up to 25 inches and a risk of catastrophic flash flooding. Meteorologists noted extreme rapid intensification driven by unusually warm waters about 2°C above average, aligning with a broader trend of more frequent Category 5 storms in recent years.
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