A monster storm is about to slam into Jamaica with winds and flooding never seen before in the island nation’s recorded history.
What’s Happening: Hurricane Melissa grew into a Category 5 storm Tuesday morning as it moved toward Jamaica’s coast. The storm sat about 55 miles south-southeast of Negril as of 8 a.m. Eastern time.
What’s Important: This will be the strongest hurricane to hit Jamaica since people started keeping records 174 years ago. The National Hurricane Center warns the storm will bring deadly winds, flooding and storm surge. Jamaican officials said they have done everything possible to prepare but expect major destruction.
The Threat Ahead: After Jamaica, Melissa will slam into eastern Cuba late Tuesday night. The storm will then move into the southeastern Bahamas on Wednesday. The hurricane has already killed seven people across the Caribbean, with three deaths in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic.
Between the Lines: The storm is moving slowly at just 5 miles per hour, which means Jamaica will face hours of dangerous conditions. The hurricane’s core will hit somewhere between Kingston and Negril within hours.
The Sources: U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami, Jamaican government.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
