Hurricane Melissa rages across Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa made landfall around 6 p.m. on the southwest coast of Jamaica, with winds of up to 300 kilometers per hour. Strong gusts and 300 to 400 mm of rain are also expected.

Currently, some 240,000 Jamaicans are without electricity. The powerful hurricane is partly the result of warmer oceans, influenced by human-induced climate change. According to research organization Climate Central, this could have increased the potential damage from the hurricane by half.

Cuba and the Bahamas will also be affected by Melissa later this week.

Hurricane Melissa is more powerful than Hurricane Katrina, which left a trail of destruction in New Orleans in 2005.

3 minutes ago

Henk Tack

Flooding, blocked roads and damage to buildings

According to the Associated Press news agency, flooding is occurring in southwestern Jamaica. Significant structural damage has been sustained to several buildings, including a hospital in St. Elizabeth, which was reportedly severely damaged by the storm, according to the British newspaper The Guardian. Several roads are also blocked by boulders and fallen trees.

9 minutes ago

Maria Saldi

Jamaica seeks US aid

The Jamaican government has contacted the Trump administration about possible assistance in mitigating the damage."The Americans have always been friends with Jamaica, and I know they've offered us help," Jamaica's Information Minister, Dana Morris Dixon, told The New York Times.

34 minutes ago

Stijn Decock

Watch out for crocodiles

The South East Regional Health Authority, Jamaica's regional health authority, is issuing a strange warning: beware of crocodiles. Expected flooding is forcing crocodiles out of their habitat, bringing them closer to human habitats. Children and pets, in particular, should be on the lookout for the 28 species of crocodiles that inhabit the tropical island.

50 minutes ago

Henk Tack

Melissa slightly weaker, but still category 5

The National Hurricane Center in Miami reports that Hurricane Melissa's maximum wind speed has dropped by 20 mph (32 kph) to 165 mph (265 kph). Despite this modest decrease, the storm remains a Category 5 hurricane.

Today 17:46

Jamaica's Prime Minister warns of serious damage

Andrew Holness, Jamaica's Prime Minister, warned in an interview with CNN of catastrophic damage in his country."There is no infrastructure in this region, or perhaps anywhere in the world, that could withstand a Category 5 hurricane without some damage." He said he had already received support from the US, the EU, and other countries."I'm praying for those residents, and we've been preparing and praying for the best," he said, encouraging Jamaicans to"stay indoors, brace yourselves, and stay safe."

Today 17:14

Henk Tack

Power outages in several places

The worst is yet to come, but power has been cut off in several regions, says Jamaica's Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications, and Transport. Most hospitals on the island are still receiving power, except those in the southwestern parishes of Manchester and St. Elizabeth. They are running on backup power from a generator, he said."There is no plan to shut down the power grid at this time," he emphasized.