Weather
“There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5.”
-
3 maps showing Hurricane Melissa’s track, timing, wind speeds, and rainfall
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Hurricane Melissa was set to pummel Jamaica on Tuesday as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, the strongest to lash the island since recordkeeping began 174 years ago.
Hours before the storm, the Jamaican government said it had done all it could to prepare as it warned of catastrophic damage. The streets in the capital, Kingston, remained largely empty except for the lone stray dog crossing puddles and a handful of people walking briskly under tree branches waving in a stiff wind.
“There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5,” Prime Minister Andrew Holness said. “The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge.”
The storm is expected to make landfall on Tuesday and slice diagonally across the island. Shortly after, it is expected to hit Cuba.
Landslides, fallen trees and numerous power outages were reported ahead of the storm, with officials in Jamaica cautioning that the cleanup and damage assessment would be slow. The storm is expected to enter near St. Elizabeth parish in the south and exit around St. Ann parish in the north, forecasters said.
“Total structural failure is possible near the path of Melissa’s center,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.
A life-threatening…