Jamaican Association ‘Monitoring Developments’
Jamaica is bracing for the impact of Hurricane Melissa, with “destructive winds and life-threatening storm surges are expected to hit Jamaica overnight or early on Tuesday.”
Yackeisha Weir, President of the Jamaican Association, said, “As Hurricane Melissa approaches our beloved Jamaica, the Jamaican Association is closely monitoring developments. Our hearts are heavy as we see the images and hear the reports, yet we remain steadfast in faith and hope.
“We know the strength of the Jamaican spirit. Time and again, our people have faced great storms—and each time, we have risen, rebuilt, and stood tall. This moment will be no different.
“To our families, friends, and communities back home: hold firm, keep the faith, and trust that brighter days lie ahead. Jamaica has weathered many tempests, and the resilience of our people continues to inspire the world.
“Out of many, one people – and together, we will rise again.”
A BBC story said, “People in Jamaica are bracing for the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which is forecast to unleash destructive winds and bring catastrophic flooding to the Caribbean nation in the coming hours.
“Melissa was upgraded to a category five hurricane – the maximum strength – early on Monday, the US-based National Hurricane Center [NHC] said.
“The authorities fear that Melissa, which has already been blamed for the deaths of four people on the island of Hispaniola, could become the strongest hurricane ever to hit Jamaica.
“The Jamaican government has ordered evacuations for parts of the capital, Kingston, and the entire island has been classed as “threatened”.
“An update from the NHC at 09:00GMT said that Melissa was about 130 miles (209km) south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica.
“It has maximum sustained wind speeds of 160mph [260km/h] and could strengthen further in the next 12 to 24 hours, forecasters warned.
“If it continues on the forecasted track, its core is expected “to move near or over Jamaica tonight and Tuesday, across south-eastern Cuba Tuesday night, and across the south-eastern Bahamas on Wednesday”.
“The storm is particularly slow moving, which makes it very dangerous in terms of expected rainfall amounts.
“According to the NHC, 40 inches of rain [100cm] are possible in parts of Jamaica over the next four days.”
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