ENVIRONMENT

Hurricane Melissa could be Jamaica's most powerful storm in history

Jamaican officials warned residents to brace as Hurricane Melissa, expected to intensify to Category 4, nears the island and could become its strongest recorded storm. All airports will close at 8 p.m. Saturday, with flights suspended until further notice. The National Hurricane Center forecast 20 to 30 inches of rain and "life-threatening, catastrophic" flooding and landslides across Jamaica and southern Hispaniola. Evacuations were ordered in eastern Cuba (145,000 people) and on Saona Island in the Dominican Republic, while Haiti reported at least three deaths. As of 2 p.m. ET, Melissa was 145 miles southeast of Kingston.

Reviewed by JQJO team

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