Hurricane Melissa Approaches Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Haiti as Category 4 Storm

Hurricane Melissa
has quickly intensified into a strong Category 4 storm, packing winds of 140
miles per hour, bringing torrential rain and probably catastrophic flooding to
elements of the northern Caribbean.
According to AP
News, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned Sunday that the
system may even strengthen to a Category 5 earlier than reaching
Jamaica’s southern coast late Monday or early Tuesday.

Forecasters are
sounding the alarm for residents and vacationers within the area, notably in Jamaica,
the place the storm’s sluggish tempo and heavy rainfall may spell catastrophe.
“Conditions (in Jamaica) are going to go down rapidly today,” mentioned Jamie Rhome,
deputy director of the NHC. “Be ready to ride this out for several days.”

A Slow however
Destructive Storm

As of Sunday
morning, Melissa was situated roughly 110 miles south-southeast of the capital
metropolis of Kingston and shifting west at a sluggish 3 mph. While the storm’s sluggish
pace may sound like excellent news, meteorologists say the sluggish motion really
will increase the hazard, giving the system extra time to dump devastating rain over
the identical areas.

Forecasters
anticipate Jamaica and southern Hispaniola — the island that encompasses each Haiti
and the Dominican
Republic — to obtain as much as 30 inches of rain, with some spots probably even
seeing a staggering 40 inches. The NHC warned that the deluge will doubtless trigger
widespread infrastructural harm, energy and communication blackouts, and the
potential isolation of total communities in Jamaica.

Airports
Close, Shelters Open

The nation’s
largest airport, Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, shut
down late Saturday night time, adopted by Montego Bay’s Sangster International
Airport, which closed at noon Sunday. 

Jamaica’s nationwide
emergency company, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management
(ODPEM), has already activated its Level 3 protocol and all National Response
Team members stay on the prepared.

“There is nowhere
that can escape the wrath of this hurricane,” cautioned Richard Thompson, ODPEM’S
appearing director common.

Evan Thompson,
principal director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, emphasised the
storm’s harmful persistence. “With the sluggish motion of this technique, it
doesn’t permit you to get better. It’s going to take a seat there, pouring water whereas it’s
barely shifting and that could be a vital problem that we’ve to concentrate on,”
he mentioned. 

More than 650
shelters have been opened throughout Jamaica, and the federal government says warehouses
are stocked with emergency provides and 1000’s of meals packages prepared for
distribution.

Fatalities
Reported, More Impacts Expected

Melissa’s path
has already turned lethal. Officials say a minimum of three folks have been killed
in Haiti and one other within the Dominican Republic, with one particular person nonetheless lacking. 

The storm is
forecast to maneuver close to or over Cuba by late Tuesday, dropping as much as 12 inches of
rain earlier than persevering with north towards The Bahamas
later within the week.

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