Melissa Grows Into A Category 3 Hurricane While Unleashing Torrential Rain In The North Caribbean

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a major Category 3 hurricane late Saturday, dumping torrential rain and threatening to cause devastating flooding across the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica.

Melissa strengthened into a hurricane on Saturday and then rapidly intensified into a major storm. U.S. forecasters have issued a hurricane warning for Jamaica and say Melissa could strengthen further, becoming a Category 4 storm.

“Life-threatening and devastating flooding and landslides are expected in parts of southern Hispaniola and Jamaica early next week,” the US National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

Melissa was about 125 miles (200 kilometers) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 280 miles (455 kilometers) west-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, late Saturday night. The hurricane center said maximum sustained winds were 115 mph (185 km/h) and moving west at 3 mph (6 km/h).

The slow-moving storm was expected to dump as much as 25 inches (64 centimeters) of heavy rain on Jamaica, according to the hurricane center. Up to 35 inches (89 centimeters) of rain could fall on the Tiburon peninsula in southwestern Haiti.

The Cuban government issued a hurricane watch for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo and Holguin provinces on Saturday afternoon.

The erratic and slow-moving storm killed at least three people in Haiti and a fourth person in the Dominican Republic, where one person remains missing.

“Unfortunately, the situation is becoming increasingly dire for locations along the projected path of this storm,” Jamie Rhome, the center’s deputy director, said in a statement early Saturday. He said the storm will continue to move slowly for up to four days.

Melissa is expected to hit eastern Cuba early Wednesday; In some areas it may drop up to 30 centimeters.

Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston will be closed at 8pm local time, authorities in Jamaica said on Saturday. It was not stated whether Sangster airport in Montego Bay on the west side of the island would be closed.

More than 650 shelters are operational in Jamaica. Warehouses across the island are well stocked and thousands of food packages have been prepared in advance for rapid distribution if needed, officials said.

“I urge Jamaicans to take this weather threat seriously,” Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said. “Take every precaution to protect yourself.”

“Jamaica preparations should be completed today. Melissa’s slow movement brings several days of damaging winds, as well as heavy rains, devastating floods, landslides, damage, long-term power communication outages and isolation,” the center said.

Haitian officials said three people died due to the hurricane and five people were injured due to the collapse of the wall. There were also reports of rising river levels in Sainte-Suzanne in the northeast, flooding and the collapse of a bridge due to breaches in the riverbanks.

“It’s causing a lot of concern about the trajectory of the storm,” Ronald Délice, director of Haiti’s civil protection department, said as local officials organized lines to distribute food kits. Many residents are still reluctant to leave their homes.

The storm caused damage to nearly 200 houses Dominican Republic and disabled water supply systems, affecting more than half a million customers. It also caused downed trees and traffic lights, caused several minor landslides, and left more than two dozen communities isolated by floodwaters.

The Bahamas Bureau of Meteorology said Melissa could bring tropical storm or hurricane conditions to islands in the Southeastern and Central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands early next week.

Melissa is the 13th storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-normal season with 13 to 18 storms.

Associated Press writer Evens Sanon in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, contributed to this report.