'Storm of the century': Hurricane Melissa nears Jamaica risking 1.5 million people; PM orders evacuations

Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, is expected to bring catastrophic destruction to Jamaica. UN weather officials warned on Tuesday that it could be the worst storm to hit the island this century.According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the hurricane will bring wind gusts exceeding 300 kmph, storm surges up to four metres and rainfall surpassing 70 cm, triggering severe flash floods and landslides across the country."It’s a catastrophic situation expected in Jamaica,” said Anne-Claire Fontan, a tropical cyclone specialist at the WMO, during a briefing in Geneva.The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Melissa is likely to make landfall early Tuesday, before moving across eastern Cuba, the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos by Wednesday. Forecasters said the storm’s intensity has been fuelled by unusually warm Caribbean waters, leading to unprecedented size and strength, as reported by Reuters. The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) said up to 1.5 million people in Jamaica could be directly affected. "Today will be very difficult for tens of thousands, if not millions of people in Jamaica,” said Necephor Mghendi of the IFRC, warning that homes, roads and power lines could be destroyed.

Over 800 shelters have been opened for evacuees.On Monday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness ordered mandatory evacuations in parts of southern Jamaica, including the historic town of Port Royal, urging residents to move to higher ground. “There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5,” Holness said, warning of likely damage to farmlands, homes and public utilities.Meanwhile, across the Caribbean, hundreds of thousands have evacuated as heavy rains and winds batter several islands. At least four deaths have been reported in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.Authorities have urged residents in affected regions to stay indoors, prepare emergency supplies and follow evacuation orders as Hurricane Melissa approaches Jamaica’s shores.