Ongoing large-scale evacuations are being carried out in countries that are in the path of the highly destructive “Hurricane Melissa,” causing significant casualties and damages as it progresses.
As of today, Hurricane Melissa has traversed Cuba, downgrading to a Category 2 storm after unleashing havoc in Jamaica as one of the most intense hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic region, as confirmed by the US National Hurricane Centre. Extensive evacuations of hundreds of thousands of individuals have taken place in Cuba, particularly in Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas provinces, along with the southeastern and central Bahamas under a hurricane warning.
Jean Bertrand Subrème, the mayor of Petit-Goâve in southern Haiti, reported 25 fatalities due to the overflowing of La Digue river, leading to flooding and collapse of numerous homes. Substantial destruction and entrapment of individuals under debris have been reported, causing immense distress in the area.
With sustained winds reaching 105mph and a north-northeast movement at 14mph, Hurricane Melissa’s current position, as per the National Hurricane Centre in Miami, is 45 miles northwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, and 205 miles south of the central Bahamas. The National Hurricane Centre has urged swift completion of storm preparations in the Bahamas as Melissa continues its trajectory towards the northeast, threatening the Bahamas and Bermuda with powerful winds and heavy rainfall.
Notably, even regions on the fringes of the hurricane, like Turks and Caicos, are at risk of experiencing life-threatening storm surges, as highlighted by the National Hurricane Centre. The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos are bracing for hurricane conditions, storm surges, and heavy rainfall, while Haiti and the Dominican Republic are expected to face flash floods and landslides, potentially leading to severe damage and community isolation in Haiti. Bermuda is also forecasted to encounter hurricanes and intense rainfall starting Thursday.
Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on Tuesday as a catastrophic Category 5 storm with maximum winds of 185mph before progressing towards Cuba. Authorities have reported that approximately 735,000 individuals are currently housed in shelters in eastern Cuba, where the hurricane made landfall as a Category 3 storm.
In response to the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, the UK has pledged £2.5 million in humanitarian aid to Jamaica to provide essential supplies such as shelter kits, water filters, and blankets. The Royal Navy ship HMS Trent is already in the Caribbean, and a specialized team from the Foreign Office has been dispatched to Miami to assist stranded British citizens.
Approximately 8,000 UK nationals are estimated to be in Jamaica, with all airports currently closed. The Foreign Office of the UK has characterized Melissa as potentially the most severe hurricane in Jamaica’s history, likely causing extensive damage to towns and infrastructure, leaving a significant portion of the island without electricity.
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