Category 5 Hurricane Melissa Brings Flooding and Catastrophic Winds to Jamaica

The Rio Cobre comes out of its banks near St. Catherine, Jamaica, on October 28, 2025. Ferocious winds and torrential rain tore into Jamaica Tuesday as Hurricane Melissa made landfall, the worst storm ever to strike the island nation and one of the most powerful hurricanes on record. The extremely violent Category 5 system was still crawling across the Caribbean, promising catastrophic floods and life-threatening conditions as maximum sustained winds reached a staggering 185 miles per hour (295 kilometers per hour). (Photo by Ricardo Makyn / AFP) (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images)

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Hurricane Melissa has hit southwestern Jamaica as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, causing heavy flooding and wind damage. Melissa made landfall Tuesday in southwestern Jamaica with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. Officials warned of devastating damage and urged residents to seek shelter as the hurricane crossed the island. Melissa’s winds tied records for the strongest Atlantic storm on landfall. The storm is expected to move toward Cuba, where authorities prepared for evacuations. The hurricane has already caused seven deaths in the Caribbean. Relief preparations are underway, with supplies and emergency services ready to assist.