Hurricane Melissa slammed into western Jamaica this afternoon as a Category 5 storm, triggering massive waves and flooding that some fear will spark a disaster of epic proportions.
“Melissa is so powerful it will reshape Jamaica for years to come and could trigger a humanitarian disaster,” CNN reports. “Jamaica has never taken a hit from a Category 5, with a UN agency describing it as the “storm of the century.”
Melissa hit the coast of Westmoreland Parish with winds of 185 mph (298 kmh). The CBC said the hurricane is the strongest to lash the island since record-keeping began 174 years ago.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm was about 20 miles (35 km's) south/southwest of Montego Bay at 2 p.m. EDT and was slowly moving north/northeast. Some tracking maps had the storm moving east towards Falmouth.
"There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5," Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said.
“THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION!,” the National Hurricane Center in Miami said on its website, using all capital letters for emphasis.
The island was pelted with heavy rain as the hurricane approached. The BBC said a storm surge is expected to hit certain bays and inlets, rising to 13 feet (four meters) in some areas; the equivalent of around two storeys.
“Widespread power cuts are already impacting the island, with more than 200,000 without electricity,” according to the BBC. “Most hospitals still have a supply, but not all.”
ABC News said one-third of Jamaica residents were without power, mostly in St. Elizabeth, Manchester, St. James and Hanover parishes.
Al Jazeera quotes forecasters as saying the Category 5 storm is likely to cause “catastrophic” flooding, landslides and widespread damage, and the Red Cross warns that up to 1.5 million people may be directly affected.
“The sea level is coming over the wall and we’re in serious trouble,” Alligator Pond resident Evrol Christian told CNN by telephone. “The whole coastline is gone.”
As of noon EDT, the National Hurricane Center said a Hurricane Warning was in effect for Jamaica, the Cuban provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas, and for the southeastern and Central Bahamas. A Tropical Storm Warning was in place for Hait, the Cuban province of Camaguey, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The center also noted that the government of Cuba has issued a Hurricane Warning for the province of Las Tunas and a Tropical Storm Warning for Camaguey.
The storm at one time was expected to slam into Kingston. Instead, it turned west and made landfall near New Hope, about 55 km’s southeast of Negril. Sandals South Coast resort is just just west of New Hope.
As reported earlier by Open Jaw, cruise lines have made to make major adjustments to their itineraries to stay out of the region.
The BBC said emergency relief flights could begin as early as Thursday of this week.
