Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday afternoon, making it the largest storm to rip across the island since records began 174 years ago.
Landslides, fallen trees and several power outages were reported ahead of the storm, with Jamaican officials cautioning that cleanup and damage assessment would be slow.
Nearly 15,000 people were in shelters in Jamaica and roughly 540,000 customers — more than three-quarters of the island — were without power, officials said.
Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council, said there are no confirmed reports of deaths and stressed that it was too early to talk about the extent of the damage.
He said floodwaters trapped at least three families in their homes in the community of Black River in western Jamaica, and crews were unable to help them because of dangerous conditions.
“Roofs were flying off,” he said. “We are hoping and praying that the situation will ease so that some attempt can be made to get to those persons.”
He noted that extensive damage was reported in the southwestern parish of St. Elizabeth, which he said “is underwater.”
Global Affairs Canada said Tuesday it is “closely tracking” the hurricane and urged Canadians in the region to avoid all travel to Jamaica and surrounding Caribbean island nations such as Haiti and parts of Cuba.
The storm landed in southwestern Jamaica near New Hope and is expected to exit around St. Ann Parish in the north, forecasters said. Shortly after, it is expected to rip through eastern Cuba where it will make landfall early Wednesday.
Experts say Hurricane Melissa’s nearly 300 km/h winds and 892 millibars of central pressure on landfall tied two different records for the strongest Atlantic storm upon hitting land.
The pressure measurement ties with that of 1935’s Labour Day hurricane in Florida, and the wind speed ties with that 1935 hurricane and 2019’s Hurricane Dorian, the Associated Press reported.
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Before it hit, Jamaican officials said they had done everything in their power to protect citizens from the hurricane.
“There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5,” said Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. “The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge.”
McKenzie urged people to seek shelter and stay indoors as the storm crosses the island.
“Jamaica, this is not the time to be brave,” he said.
Melissa is expected to bring 38 to 76 centimetres of rain across parts of Jamaica, with up to 102 centimetres possible in some areas.
Catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are also likely, along with severe infrastructure damage to major roads and highways that could lead to weeks-long closures, Chief Global News Meteorologist Anthony Farnell said.
Peak storm surge heights could reach three to four metres above ground level, experts say.
As of Monday afternoon, Melissa was officially the strongest storm of the year, prompting the closure of Jamaica’s two major airports, Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay and Norman Manley International Airport in the capital, Kingston, where hurricane conditions could last up to 24 hours, Farnell said.
Roads leading to and from the Kingston airport are particularly exposed to strong winds and waves.
Meanwhile, footage captured by the U.S. Air Force on Monday from inside the hurricane’s eye showed its towering walls as it swept towards the Caribbean island.
Warehouses across the island are well-stocked, and thousands of food packages were pre-positioned for quick distribution if needed, officials said, adding that the lingering storm will leave little time for recovery.
“With the slow movement of this system, it doesn’t allow you to recover. It’s going to sit there, pouring water while it’s barely moving and that is a significant challenge that we have to be aware of,” Evan Thompson, principal director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, said.
In Kingston, officials warned residents of the surrounding area to watch out for crocodiles that might be displaced from their habitats by flooding.
McKenzie said the government was prepared for rescues immediately after the storm passes through: “We have boats, helicopters, you name it.”
The Jamaican government has launched a website, Support Jamaica, to provide residents with regular updates as Hurricane Melissa moves across the island, and to collect donations for what authorities say will be a long and arduous recovery period.
The country’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management says rescue operations will begin as soon as it is safe enough to deploy staff.
The southeastern Bahamas, Cuba and the Turks and Caicos Islands are also on a high alert, with hurricane watches and evacuation orders in place.
Canadian citizens can contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre for 24/7 consular assistance.
Global Affairs Canada said more than 2,000 Canadians in Jamaica are signed up with its voluntary registration service, with over 11,000 registrants in Caribbean countries such as Haiti, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic and Cuba that are facing impacts from the storm.
— With files from the Associated Press
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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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