KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — U.S. forecasters issued a hurricane warning for Jamaica Saturday as Storm Melissa reached hurricane power, threatening catastrophic flooding within the northern Caribbean.
A hurricane warning means winds of at the least 74 mph are anticipated within the space inside 36 hours.
“Melissa has change into a hurricane with most sustained winds of 75 mph,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center mentioned Saturday afternoon. “Fast intensification is predicted, and Melissa is forecast to change into a serious hurricane tomorrow.”
The slow-moving storm was expected to drop torrential rain, as much as 25 inches, on Jamaica, in accordance with the U.S. Nationwide Hurricane Middle.
The same forecast was issued for the southern areas of Haiti and the Dominican Republic by way of Monday. Life-threatening flooding and landslides have been attainable, with as much as 35 inches of catastrophic rain throughout the Tiburon peninsula in southwestern Haiti, the middle mentioned.
Storm’s sluggish progress
The erratic and slow-moving storm has killed at the least three folks in Haiti and a fourth person in the Dominican Republic, the place one other individual stays lacking.
“Sadly for locations alongside the projected path of this storm, it’s more and more dire,” Jamie Rhome, the middle’s deputy director, mentioned earlier on Saturday. He mentioned the storm will proceed to maneuver slowly for as much as 4 days.
Melissa was situated about 145 miles southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 235 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It had most sustained winds of 75 mph and was slowly shifting west-northwest at 1 mph, in accordance with the hurricane middle.
A hurricane warning was in impact for Jamaica and a hurricane watch remained in place for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti.
The middle of Melissa is predicted to maneuver close to or over Jamaica early subsequent week, forecasters mentioned. Melissa was anticipated to change into a serious hurricane by Sunday and probably attain Class 4 standing by early Monday, U.S. forecasters mentioned.
It’s forecast to hit japanese Cuba early Wednesday, the place as much as 12 inches may fall in some areas.
Authorities in Jamaica mentioned on Saturday that the Norman Manley Worldwide Airport in Kingston will probably be closed at 8 p.m. native time. It didn’t say whether or not it can shut the Sangster airport in Montego Bay, on the western facet of the island.
Greater than 650 shelters have been activated in Jamaica. Officers mentioned warehouses throughout the island have been well-stocked and hundreds of meals packages prepositioned for fast distribution if wanted.
“I urge Jamaicans to take this climate menace significantly,” mentioned Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. “Take all measures to guard your self.”
The hurricane middle confirmed the dangers in a key message Saturday afternoon.
“Jamaica prep must be accomplished as we speak. Melissa’s sluggish movement brings multi-day damaging winds plus heavy rainfall, catastrophic flash flooding, landslides, injury, long-duration energy communication outages, isolation,” the middle mentioned.
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