Hurricane Melissa Batters Jamaica With Strongest Hurricane Winds in 90 Years
Hurricane Melissa is hammering Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, bringing 185 mph winds. This is the strongest hurricane wind speed to make landfall in 90 years, threatening to cause catastrophic floods, landslides, and a sea surge up to 13 feet along the island’s southern coast. The relatively slow speed of the monster storm will […] The post Hurricane Melissa Batters Jamaica With Strongest Hurricane Winds in 90 Years appeared first on Capital B News.
Black News 
Hurricane Melissa is hammering Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, bringing 185 mph winds. This is the strongest hurricane wind speed to make landfall in 90 years, threatening to cause catastrophic floods, landslides, and a sea surge up to 13 feet along the island’s southern coast.
The relatively slow speed of the monster storm will leave it hovering over the island for hours.
Despite mandatory evacuation orders for over 50,000 people, fewer than 2,000 people had reached shelters hours before the storm neared landfall. Experts fear that those who stayed behind may not have left their homes because the evacuation sites are converted school buildings that are not designed to serve as emergency shelters. In addition, some may lack transportation, while misinformation may have played a role for others.
Crops and communities in Jamaica’s breadbasket are especially at risk, with forecasted rainfall measured in feet, not inches.
The storm’s intensity, fueled by unusually warm Caribbean waters, puts the nation’s health care, infrastructure, and vulnerable residents in danger. Staff shortages in disaster services and limited international aid could further complicate the response. The U.S. government shutdown may hinder any aid federal authorities might be able to provide.
Jamaican officials are stressing that no nation in the Caribbean is truly prepared for a hurricane this strong. This is the fourth storm in the Atlantic this year to undergo rapid intensification of its wind speed and power, a feat made twice as likely because of climate change, according to studies.
The post Hurricane Melissa Batters Jamaica With Strongest Hurricane Winds in 90 Years appeared first on Capital B News.
