Wind speed reaches 282 km/h. It is intensifying and is expected to hit the Caribbean island on the morning of October 28.
Melissa has already caused the deaths of four people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Experts warn that the slow movement of the cyclone could mean prolonged heavy rainfall in some areas, increasing the risk of deadly floods and landslides. The hurricane is believed to be the world's strongest this year and possibly the strongest on record for the island since records began in 1851. At the same time, US meteorologists warn of “catastrophic and life-threatening” conditions.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has ordered the immediate evacuation of several vulnerable communities across the island. He urged every Jamaican to prepare, stay home during the storm and follow evacuation orders. Jamaica's Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon has warned of a looming storm “the likes of which we have never seen.”
The minimum pressure at the center of the storm dropped from 909 millibars on Monday evening to 901 millibars on the morning of October 28, CNN reported. Typically, the lower the pressure, the stronger the storm, so this drop indicates Melissa could gain strength in the coming hours. Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the US state of Louisiana in 2005, had a minimum pressure of 902 millibars, making Melissa even more intense.
The hurricane threatens to destroy Jamaica's infrastructure and cut off the island's populated areas from the outside world. The National Hurricane Center is warning of landslides, catastrophic flash floods and winds that could cause complete destruction of buildings.
The Air Force Reserve's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, also known as the Hurricane Hunters, flew into the eye of Hurricane Melissa to collect data for the National Hurricane Center. The video was published by ABC News.
According to forecasts, the hurricane will hit Jamaica in full force on the morning of October 28 and will last for five days, reports Reuters.
