Tied for the strongest-ever landfall, the Category 5 storm brings 185 mph winds, "severely damaged" infrastructure, and bizarre warnings of displaced crocodiles in residential areas.
KINGSTON, JAMAICA — At least seven people were dead across the Caribbean on Tuesday as Hurricane Melissa, the strongest and most ferocious storm of the year, made a catastrophic Category 5 landfall on Jamaica.
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| A street is flooded due to Hurricane Melissa in Kingston, Jamaica, on Tuesday. The hurricane made landfall in Jamaica with maximum sustained winds of nearly 185 miles per hour, torrential rains and storm surges that threaten to cause flooding and severe damage. Phot by Rudolph Brown/EPA |
The eye of the storm, a vortex of terrifying calm surrounded by 185 mph winds, was passing directly over the western end of the island as of 3 p.m. EDT, officials reported. The storm, which is now tied for the most powerful landfall in history, is unleashing a devastating combination of catastrophic winds, flooding, and storm surge.
Widespread power and internet outages were reported across the island. Matthew Samuda, Jamaica's minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, told CNN that authorities were already receiving reports of "severely damaged public infrastructure, hospitals, [and] places of safety."
"We are monitoring very carefully, and we're hoping for storm conditions to subside so rescue teams can go into the field where we've had distress calls," Samuda said.
A Historically Powerful Storm
Melissa's sheer power has placed it in the history books. Its landfall, with sustained winds of 185 mph, ties it with the infamous Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Dorian in 2019 as the strongest on record.
Its maximum wind speed is the second-highest ever recorded for any Atlantic hurricane, falling just short of Hurricane Allen's 190 mph winds in 1980. The incredible power was confirmed Monday when a U.S. Air Force Reserve "Hurricane Hunter" crew from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew directly through the storm's eye.
Bizarre Threat: Displaced Crocodiles
Amid the chaos of wind and rain, authorities issued a bizarre and terrifying secondary warning to residents: be on the lookout for crocodiles.
The South East Regional Health Authority in Jamaica warned that the extreme flooding could force the reptiles from their natural habitats.
"Rising water levels in rivers, gullies, and swamps could cause crocodiles to move into residential areas in search of dry ground," the statement said, adding a new layer of danger to the unfolding disaster.
A Tragedy Before Landfall
The storm's death toll began rising before the eye even hit. Jamaica's Health and Wellness Minister, Christopher Tufton, reported three storm-related deaths on Monday night, all occurring during preparations.
"I'm very sad to say... we have had three deaths," Tufton said in a recorded statement. He explained the deaths were connected to cutting down trees, with one case also involving electrocution. Nearly 15 others were injured, mostly from falls and one car crash, as residents scrambled to secure their homes.
"Even minor mistakes during hurricane conditions can result in serious injury or death," the ministry warned.
Four additional deaths were reported on the island of Hispaniola, which comprises Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as Melissa's outer bands battered the island.
Widespread Disruption and Regional Alert
As the storm system grinds across Jamaica, the entire Caribbean is on high alert. The U.S. National Hurricane Center warned that "life-threatening surf and rip-current conditions" are expected to affect Jamaica, Hispaniola, eastern Cuba, and the Cayman Islands for the next two days.
Those dangerous swells are forecast to reach the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos islands, and Bermuda later this week. In response to the threat, Cuba has already evacuated more than 500,000 people from vulnerable coastal areas.
In Washington, Democrats on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee called on the State Department to immediately deploy disaster relief assistance.
"Over a million Jamaican Americans are watching anxiously as their loved ones brace for catastrophe," Reps. Gregory Meeks and Yvette Clarke said in a joint statement. "The United States must stand with Jamaica and the entire Caribbean before, during and after Hurricane Melissa makes landfall."
Back in Jamaica, Prime Minister Andrew Holness confirmed that over 800 public shelters were open, though only 972 people were housed in them as of Tuesday. He urged residents to ignore false reports of fees and to seek safety.