LeadStory

Reuters

Hurricane Melissa slams into Jamaica as its strongest-ever storm

Reuters · Current
Reuters
Reuters
Current

Hurricane Melissa weakened slightly to a still powerful Category 4 hurricane after making landfall in Jamaica Tuesday afternoon as the strongest-ever storm to directly hit the Caribbean nation of 2.8 million people.

Breakdown
  • Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, the strongest on record for the country.
  • Sustained winds reached 185 miles per hour before weakening to 150 miles per hour. 11s
  • Over a third of Jamaican electricity customers lost power and up to 1.5 million people are expected to be affected. 25s
  • Cuban authorities evacuated more than 500,000 people as the storm approaches. 43s
  • Scientists link the storm's intensity to warm ocean waters and warn of faster intensification due to climate change. 1m 18s
WeatherDisaster