The strongest storm on record brought catastrophic weather conditions to the Caribbean island nation of Jamaica this week, consuming the popular holiday hotspot in the early hours of Tuesday 28 October. The slow-moving storm, officially known as Hurricane Melissa, brought local devastation and travel chaos for many.
At the time of writing (10.30am GMT, Wednesday 29 October), the whole of Jamaica has been declared a “disaster area” category five hurricane winds reaching 185mph.
Category five storms are the most powerful and severe on the hurricane scale and cause unprecedented damage. Hurricane Melissa is noticeably slow – averaging between two and five miles per hour (hurricanes typically move at 11 to 12 miles per hour), according to The Times – meaning the damage caused by wind and rain has the potential to be more severe and last longer.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office notes, “Hurricane Melissa is expected to bring exceptional levels of rainfall to the whole of Jamaica. There are estimates for up to 1000 millimetres of rain, storm surges around coastal areas bringing waves of up to 4 metres, and winds of up to 170 miles per hour. Catastrophic flash floods and landslides are likely, with severe damage to infrastructure expected.”
Locals have been warned to avoid floodwaters wherever possible due to the risk of displaced crocodiles.
Travellers on the island are encouraged to monitor live updates from the island’s international airports – at the time of writing, airports are expected to remain closed until at least Thursday 30 October.
An updated advisory issued by the US National Hurricane Centre for Jamaica as of the morning of Wednesday 29 October states, “Jamaica: You may need to remain sheltered after the storm due to downed power lines and flooded areas. Ensure generators are properly ventilated and placed outside at least 20 feet away from dwellings and garages to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. During clean-up, be careful when using chainsaws and power tools. Drink plenty of water to avoid heat exhaustion.”
As the storm leaves behind a trail of devastation in Jamaica, it remains a risk to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and Bermuda. Eastern Cuba is next in the hurricane's sights, with much of the island's east being evacuated for safer regions to the west.
Several charities and organisations have sprung into action to assist those in need ahead of the full impact being visible when day breaks on the island on the morning of Wednesday 29 October. These include the UN's World Food Programme, Support Jamaica and American Friends of Jamaica.