Read, Watch or Listen

Supercharged to Category 5 with 175 mph winds, Hurricane Melissa is crawling at 2–3 mph toward Jamaica, where more than 800 shelters are open and evacuations ordered in parts of Kingston and Port Royal. Forecasters warn of 30–40 inches of rain, 9–13 feet of storm surge along southern coasts, and prolonged flooding and landslides. Severe hits to power, water and communications are likely. At least three deaths in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic were reported before full landfall. The storm is forecast to move on to eastern Cuba, then the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.