Hurricane Melissa roared ashore in Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5—the most powerful to strike the island since record-keeping began—unleashing catastrophic winds and flooding that ripped roofs and cut power to more than 530,000 people. The National Hurricane Center said Melissa packed 185 mph sustained winds at landfall before easing to 130 mph by night, then restrengthening as it neared eastern Cuba, where an early Wednesday landfall is expected. Officials reported hospital evacuations, life-threatening storm surge up to 13 feet, and extreme rainfall forecasts. At least seven deaths across the Caribbean were blamed on the storm.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.