Hurricane Melissa will make landfall in Jamaica early on this morning - the Category 5 storm is set to be the strongest to hit the island since records began in 1851

Hurricane Melissa is edging toward Jamaica and is set to make landfall as a historic Category 5 storm, with winds of more than 170 mph. Jamaica is bracing for what the National Hurricane Center said would be catastrophic flash flooding and landslides caused by up to 40 inches of rain in some places. The storm is due to make landfall early tomorrow.

Hurricane Melissa intensified into a Category 5 storm Monday as it drew closer to Jamaica, where forecasters expected it to unleash catastrophic flooding, landslides and widespread damage.

Melissa rapidly intensified going into Sunday morning and is now a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds. The US National Hurricane Center expects it to strengthen into a rare Category 5 hurricane on Sunday night or early Monday.

Hurricane Melissa intensified to a Category 5 storm on Monday amid warnings of 'life-threatening' flooding' in Jamaica.

# AFTER years of delay, Abaco’s long-promised multipurpose hurricane shelter is finally ready for use, with officials formally handing over the facility yesterday. # A ceremony was held at the new facility in Central Pines, Marsh Harbour.

The Town of Century was awarded $10 million in a Florida Department of Commerce’s Rebuild Florida grant to turn the old gym property into a multipurpose facility that will also serve as a shelter during hurricanes or other disasters.

The eyewall’s destructive winds may cause total structural failure, particularly in higher elevations, leading to widespread infrastructural damage, prolonged power and communication outages, and isolated communities.