Category 5 Melissa Threatens Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa, a slow-moving, enormous Category 5 storm with sustained winds of about 165–175 mph and a wind field larger than Jamaica, is barreling toward the island and is expected to make landfall late Monday or Tuesday, potentially becoming the strongest hurricane on record to hit Jamaica. Authorities have issued mandatory evacuations for parts of the island, mobilized emergency funds, and warned of catastrophic winds, storm surge and 2–3 feet of rain that could cause long-lasting infrastructure damage, widespread power and communications outages, and isolated communities. Despite evacuation orders, some residents have been reluctant to leave; early impacts already include thousands without electricity and storm-related deaths reported elsewhere in the northern Caribbean. Forecasters say Melissa will move on to eastern Cuba, the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos before turning northeast toward Bermuda, and domestic and international response efforts are being readied.