Hurricane Melissa Makes Historic Landfall in Jamaica as Category 5 Storm

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm, bringing 185 mph winds and life-threatening flooding to the island nation.

The storm struck near New Hope around 1 p.m. ET, marking one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls on record in the Atlantic Basin.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness emphasized the unprecedented nature of the event, stating, "There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5. The question now is the speed of recovery. That's the challenge."

Deputy Chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council, Desmond McKenzie, urged residents to seek shelter and stay indoors, saying, "Jamaica, this is not the time to be brave."

The hurricane has already been blamed for seven deaths in the Caribbean, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic.

Melissa is expected to continue its path toward Cuba, where nearly 900,000 people have been ordered to evacuate.

Recovery and cleanup efforts in Jamaica are underway, with officials cautioning that damage assessments will be slow due to the storm's severity.