Jamaica: Hurricane Melissa has rapidly strengthened into a major Category 3 storm, bringing torrential rain and threatening severe flooding in Jamaica and southern Haiti. Authorities have warned residents to take precautionary measures as the storm moves slowly across the northern Caribbean.
Hurricane Melissa has been centred about 200 kilometres south-southeast of Kingston and approximately 455 kilometres west-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The hurricane is sustaining maximum winds of 185 kilometres per hour (115 miles per hour), according to the hurricane centre.
The Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston has been closed, while over 650 shelters have been activated across Jamaica.
Officials have prepositioned thousands of food packages and stocked warehouses to support rapid relief efforts if needed. Melissa is expected to release up to 76 centimetres (30 inches) of rain in Jamaica and southern Hispaniola, which includes Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
In Haiti, rising river levels have caused flooding, damaged bridges, and left communities isolated. Civil protection authorities have mobilised food kit distributions, but some residents remain reluctant to evacuate. The slow-moving hurricane has already resulted in at least three fatalities in Haiti and one death in the Dominican Republic, with another person missing.
Meteorologists have warned that Hurricane Melissa will continue to move slowly over the coming days, increasing the risk of landslides and flash floods. Damage has been reported to nearly 200 homes and water supply systems in the Dominican Republic, affecting more than 500,000 residents.
The Bahamas Department of Meteorology has also issued alerts, stating that tropical storm or hurricane conditions may affect the Southeast and Central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands by early next week. Hurricane Melissa is the 13th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.
Residents and authorities across the affected regions are being urged to remain vigilant and prepare for continued impacts as Hurricane Melissa moves through the Caribbean.
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