Name: Jamaica braces for Hurricane Melissa, island’s strongest storm on record
Uploaded: 2025-10-28T08:51:22.584Z
Duration: 4 min 43 s
Description: The strongest storm in the world this year barrels towards Jamaica, prompting urgent warnings from officials.

The strongest storm in the world this year barrels towards Jamaica, prompting urgent warnings from officials.

Kingston

Jamaica is preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm forecast to be the most destructive in the island's history. Authorities have ordered mass evacuations and urged residents to seek higher ground and shelter, but some people have chosen not to leave their homes. The hurricane is expected to bring catastrophic flooding, landslides, and widespread infrastructure damage, with prolonged power and communication outages likely. 

Melissa has already caused six deaths in Haiti and the Dominican Republic and is expected to move across Jamaica before heading towards Cuba and the Bahamas. Meteorologists warn that the storm's slow movement and extremely strong winds, gusting over 300 kilometres per hour, will result in prolonged dangerous conditions, including heavy rain, mudslides, and storm surges. The government has stated it has done all it can to prepare for the storm, but significant disruption is anticipated.

Jamaica braces for Hurricane Melissa, island’s strongest storm on record

People in Jamaica are bracing for what's predicted to be the most destructive hurricane on record to hit the Caribbean island. Category 5 Hurricane Melissa is bearing down on the nation. Forecasters say it's likely to cause catastrophic flooding, landslides and widespread damage. Melissa expected to make landfall in the southwest in the coming hours before reducing in intensity and moving north. The storm's already been blamed for six deaths in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Victoria Gatenby reports. People in Jamaica say they're bracing for catastrophe as Hurricane Melissa bears down on the island. Authorities have ordered mass evacuations, urging people to move to higher ground and take shelter. But many are refusing to leave. We urge persons to stay inside, stay within the precincts of your home, the curtilage of your property. Don't venture outside unnecessarily because the winds, as you can see, can pick up at any time. The rains can come at any time. You can be caught in a flash flood. Melissa's slow movement means Jamaica could endure hours of torrential rain and destructive winds. Do not go out in the eye as it passes over your area. The forward speed of Melissa is going to increase and the eye is going to start to move very quickly across the island. And this is going to lead to widespread infrastructure damage, prolonged power outages, communication outages and isolated communities. It's going to be a very dangerous post-storm environment. The government says it's done all it can to prepare but is warning of catastrophic damage. The fact is that Jamaica is in the top five of most disaster countries in the world. We sit on the front line of earthquakes. We know what it is. I am happy of the state of readiness that the government has put the country in. We have done enough. The storm system has already killed several people across the Caribbean and is expected to head next towards Cuba and the Bahamas. But for now, all eyes are on Jamaica. Authorities say the next few hours will be critical as Hurricane Melissa makes landfall with winds strong enough to level entire communities. Victoria Gatenby, Al Jazeera. All right, let's go to our meteorologist, Everton Fox. Now, Everton, still a wee way to go over the next coming hours for those bracing for Hurricane Melissa. Yeah, that's right, Hannah. We're already feeling the outer bands of the storm. It's dark, of course, and it will get really noisy, really horrible conditions, rain setting in and the wind setting in. But for the centre of the storm, take a look at the satellite picture here. You can see it's down to the southwest of Jamaica and it's going to run up towards that southwestern corner, towards St Elizabeth's. That's where my family are actually, so very concerned about them as well. It'll run across the western side of the island and then punch its way out towards Cuba. Take a look. I'll just start the picture here. And you can see how the storm just wobbles a little bit. It's moving into some very warm waters here, about 33 degrees Celsius, about three degrees above what they should be. So that warm water has been feeding the storm. And of course, it's been moving incredibly slowly at about four kilometres per hour. Walking pace is about six kilometres per hour. So it's lingering there and as it staggers its way further northwards, lots and lots of rain for a long time. And those damaging winds, as we heard, it is a Category 5 storm. Category 5 starts at around 252 kilometres per hour, so that's a powerful Category 5. And we are looking at hurricane conditions across Jamaica throughout the rest of today. We have, of course, violent winds gusting in excess of 300 kilometres per hour. So damaging winds, heavy rain, floods, and we're looking at mudslides and storm surge. Of course, Jamaica is a very mountainous island, so there will be widespread disruption. Many places will be cut off for days, if not weeks. And we are looking at power outages as well. So as we go through the rest of Tuesday, you can see the storm makes its way across the island and then it'll punch its way out. It'll weaken somewhat because of those steep mountains, the Blue Mountains in Jamaica. It's a very high peak, very steep gradient, and it'll run its way across that southeastern corner of Cuba, pushing up towards southeastern areas of the Bahamas. As we go on through Thursday, it pulls away really quickly, so it really gets its skates on, moves away. By the time we come to Friday, it is gone. It's made its way up towards Bermuda, a weak system, but still powerful enough. And notice, Anna, we are still looking at some more showers coming into Jamaica, Cuba and also into Haiti at that stage. Still a rough few days ahead. Thanks very much, Everton.

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