Jamaica orders mandatory evacuation ahead of Hurricane Melissa. Authorities are warning of catastrophic flooding, landslides and storm surges threatening the region.
Jamaica has ordered mandatory evacuations in several regions as a result of Hurricane Melissa. According to meteorologists, it will hit Jamaica and Cuba on Monday evening or early Tuesday morning, reports TASR according to Sky News.
Almost 900 centers have been established all over Jamaica so far, where residents can take shelter from the hurricane. Hurricane Melissa is expected to bring catastrophic flooding, landslides and storm surges to the region, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Strong winds and precipitation
Maximum wind speeds are currently up to 220 kilometers per hour and the hurricane is expected to strengthen before hitting Jamaica. The NHC adds that it should bring 38 to 76 centimeters of rain to the country. 25 to 38 centimeters of rain could fall in the eastern parts of Cuba.
Jamaican authorities have issued warnings of widespread damage to infrastructure, power and communications outages, and the isolation of many communities.
Help from international partners
Jamaica’s Minister of Education and Information, Dana Morris Dixon, said the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) was ready to provide assistance and several international partners had also pledged support. “We’ve heard the rainfall figures. They’re numbers we’ve never heard before,” she declared.
Hurricane Melissa has already killed at least three people in Haiti and one person in the Dominican Republic, where another remains missing, Sky News reports.
