Jamaica's Storm of the Century: Hurricane Melissa Brings Catastrophic Damage

"With storm surge up to 13 feet and rainfall up to 40 inches, there will be catastrophic flash flooding and landslides," said Anne-Claire Fontan, a tropical cyclone specialist with the WMO.

"For Jamaica, it will be the storm of the century for sure," she told reporters in Geneva.

Melissa is packing sustained winds of 185 miles per hour (295 kilometres per hour), making it a Category 5 hurricane. According to the WMO, it is the strongest storm to hit Jamaica in more than a hundred years.

The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) said the storm could directly affect up to 1.5 million people, more than half of Jamaica's population. It said emergency shelters were at capacity and that food, clean water, and medical supplies were being prepositioned across the island.

"This is a disaster in the making," said IFRC regional director Philippe Guinand. "Melissa's strength and slow movement mean that damage will be severe and long-lasting. Recovery could take years."

Jamaican officials said parts of the island were already experiencing widespread power outages and communication disruptions even before the storm made landfall. Daryl Vaz, Jamaica's Minister for Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, said the national power grid operated by Jamaica Public Service (JPS) "has already been impacted by hurricane conditions, which have caused several power outages across the island."

Evan Thompson, Principal Director of Jamaica's Meteorological Service, warned residents to brace for "flooding, landslides, storm surge, and, of course, those strong winds." He urged people to remain indoors and away from coastal areas.

Melissa has already claimed seven lives in the region, three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic. Authorities in all three countries have declared states of emergency.

"This will reshape Jamaica for years to come," Fontan said. "We are witnessing a truly catastrophic event."

- IANS