The US National Hurricane Center said on Monday that Hurricane Melissa, currently sweeping across the Caribbean, has developed into a Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 220 kilometers per hour (135 miles per hour), and is expected to strengthen as it heads toward Jamaica, according to Cairo News Channel.

The center said that"Melissa" is about 180 kilometers south of Kingston, and is expected to make landfall in Jamaica this evening or Tuesday morning, before striking southeastern Cuba late that evening.

The center predicted catastrophic floods, landslides, and rising water levels in the region.

During a press conference in Kingston, authorities announced that they had closed two international airports and activated 881 shelters across the country.

"Many areas will not be spared from flooding. Kingston is very low-lying. No area in Kingston is safe from flooding," Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, said at a press conference.

Authorities said they would decide whether to issue a mandatory evacuation order later today, and urged residents to evacuate their homes while providing assistance.

However, some residents chose to stay put, and authorities said some refused to board evacuation buses.

The center predicted that Hurricane Melissa would drop between 15 and 30 inches of rain on Jamaica and Hispaniola, with a maximum of 40 inches in certain areas.

Rainfall levels in eastern Cuba are expected to range between 10 and 15 inches, and may rise to 20 inches in certain areas.

Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-average season, with between 13 and 18 named storms.