JAMAICA — The world is watching as Hurricane Melissa, a monstrous Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 175 mph (282 km/h), bears down on Jamaica — a nation already mourning three storm-related deaths before the hurricane has even made landfall.
Forecasters warn that Melissa could be the strongest hurricane ever recorded in Jamaica’s history, with U.S. meteorologists describing the storm as “catastrophic and life-threatening.”
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) confirmed that Melissa is currently the most powerful tropical cyclone on Earth in 2025, both in terms of wind speed and low central pressure. As of Monday evening, the hurricane’s eye was located roughly 145 miles southwest of Kingston, moving at a dangerously slow 3 mph (6 km/h) — a crawl that raises fears of unrelenting rainfall and deadly flooding.
“A Catastrophic Event for Jamaica”
“Do not venture outside,” warned Michael Brennan, director of the NHC. “Catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are expected through Tuesday.”
Meteorologists project that up to 40 inches (100 cm) of rain could drench parts of the island over the coming days. “This extreme rainfall potential, owing to the storm’s slow motion, is going to create a catastrophic event here for Jamaica,” said NHC deputy director Jamie Rhome.
The storm has already claimed four lives in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, bringing the regional death toll to at least seven.
Emergency Response in Overdrive
The Jamaican government has issued mandatory evacuations for flood-prone zones in Kingston and other coastal areas. Over 880 emergency shelters have been activated nationwide.
“We’re facing a storm the likes of which we’ve never seen,” said Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon in an interview. “The ground is already saturated from weeks of rain, which means we’re expecting widespread flooding and landslides, especially in the mountainous areas.”
“We Can’t Move. We’re Scared.”
Across the island, residents are bracing for the worst.
Damian Anderson, a teacher in Hagley Gap, told reporters his community has been cut off by landslides. “We can’t move. We’re scared,” he said.
On the north coast, Evadney Campbell, a Londoner visiting family, described the tense calm before the storm. “We’re checking on neighbors to see if they’re OK,” she told the BBC. “I’m worried about people in the lowlands. Many won’t leave because they fear looters.”
Storm Hunters Turn Back
Even the experts are feeling Melissa’s wrath. A NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft, sent to gather vital storm data, was forced to abort its mission after violent turbulence made flying conditions too dangerous.
A Nation on Edge
As the storm barrels closer, power lines sway in howling winds and waves lash against Jamaica’s southern coast. The government is urging residents to stay indoors, stock up on supplies, and avoid flooded areas at all costs.
For many Jamaicans, the hours ahead may be among the most harrowing in living memory.
“This isn’t just another hurricane,” said Rhome. “This is a historic storm.”
