Tropical Storm Melissa Threatens Caribbean Islands
San Juan, Puerto Rico – Tropical Storm Melissa is slowly moving through the Caribbean, posing a risk of landslides and serious flooding to Jamaica and the island of Hispaniola, shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Authorities are advising people in areas prone to flooding to seek shelter on higher ground.
In the Dominican Republic, dozens have already sought refuge in shelters. Schools, businesses, and government offices are closed in the nine provinces under alert. Water services are disrupted, impacting over half a million people.
Jamaican officials have prepared 881 shelters for potential use. Courts are closed, and schools are moving to online classes. Forecasters predict the eastern region of Jamaica could receive up to 12 inches of rain.
Similar rainfall is expected in southern Haiti and the Dominican Republic through Saturday, with the possibility of even higher amounts in some areas, depending on the storm’s path. Heavy rain is also expected in western Jamaica, Aruba, and Puerto Rico.
There are concerns about the storm’s impact on Haiti, which struggles with gang violence, poverty, and political instability. These challenges make it difficult to prepare for and respond to storms.
As of late Wednesday, Melissa had sustained winds of 50 mph and was moving west at 2 mph. The storm was located about 335 miles south-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and 295 miles south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica.
The storm is expected to move closer to Jamaica and southwestern Haiti. Forecasters predict Melissa will gradually strengthen, potentially becoming a hurricane by Friday and a major hurricane by the weekend.
Melissa is the 13th named storm of this Atlantic hurricane season and the first to form in the Caribbean.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had earlier predicted an above-average hurricane season, with 13 to 18 named storms. They anticipated that five to nine of these would become hurricanes, with two to five becoming major hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.
