KINGSTON – Hurricane Melissa, a category 5 with winds in excess of 160 miles per hour (mph), is inching towards Jamaica on Monday and is expected to move near or over the Caribbean island on Tuesday.
The latest bulletin from the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Melissa and its “destructive winds and storm surge and catastrophic flooding “will worsen on Jamaica through the day and into tonight.
The hurricane is about 130 miles, south, south west of Kingston, and is moving towards the west at three mph.
“A slow turn toward the northwest and north is expected today and tonight, followed by a northeastward acceleration beginning on Tuesday and continuing through to at least Thursday,” the NHC said, adding that on the forecast track, the core of Melissa is expected to move near or over Jamaica tonight and Tuesday, across southeastern Cuba Tuesday night, and across the southeastern Bahamas on Wednesday.
A hurricane warning is in effect for Jamaica, Cuban provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, and Holguin, while a hurricane watch is in effect for southeastern and central Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
“Melissa is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some additional strengthening is forecast today, with fluctuations in intensity likely before Melissa makes landfall on Jamaica early Tuesday.
“Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica and southeastern Cuba as a powerful major hurricane, and will still be at hurricane strength when it moves across the southeastern Bahamas,” the NHC added.
Utility companies on Jamaica have already warned that while their systems have been primed for the onslaught of Hurricane Melissa, indications are that the unprecedented damage they expect to their facilities may require rebuilding, instead of restoration.
The chief executive officer of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS), Hugh Grant, said the company was bracing for the worst.
“A Category Four hurricane potentially going through the middle of our island could have unprecedented damage on our facilities. Here at JPS it’s likely to be a rebuild and not just a restoration.
“As we stand now, we are looking at additional preparations to potentially bring in additional resources to barge in or fly equipment in such as bucket trucks, crane trucks, or other equipment that may be required if there is extensive damage on our grid to facilitate safe and timely response,” Grant said. (CMC)
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