Jamaica is preparing for the most powerful hurricane in the history of the island – storm “Melissa” of the fifth category, which has already claimed the lives of at least six people in the Caribbean region, Liter.kz reports with reference to Daily Mail. The authorities announced an evacuation, and the country’s Prime Minister appealed to residents to take shelter and pray.
Hurricane Melissa has strengthened to a maximum of Category 5 and is approaching Jamaica with wind speeds of up to 175 mph (about 282 km/h). This is the most powerful storm of 2025 and, according to the US National Hurricane Center, could become the strongest in the history of weather observations on the island since 1851. The Jamaican Ministry of Health confirmed three storm-related deaths on Monday evening. Four more died in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Meteorologist Dylan Federico warned of catastrophic consequences. According to him, a hurricane can destroy even the most durable buildings and cause large-scale landslides and floods.
“Things are looking serious in Jamaica tonight. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, they do. This could very quickly become a humanitarian crisis and will likely require international assistance,” he said.
Jamaican authorities have opened more than 880 shelters, but fewer than 1,000 people have taken refuge in them. Local residents, despite warnings, are in no hurry to evacuate. Some Jamaicans say they fear poor conditions at the shelters, while others are reluctant to leave their homes and businesses.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has addressed Jamaicans as they refuse to evacuate.
“I was on my knees in prayer. Evacuation is a national good that saves lives. You need to take shelter and pray,” he said.
Already, more than 50 thousand people are left without electricity, and heavy rains and landslides are blocking roads. In some areas, water levels continue to rise, threatening further destruction. After Jamaica, Melissa is expected to reach Cuba, where authorities have begun evacuating more than 600,000 people, and then head to the Bahamas.
It was previously known that Hurricane Melissa, raging over the Atlantic, has officially risen to category three on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Maximum wind speeds now reach about 115 miles per hour, or about 185 kilometers per hour.
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