Heavy rains and flooding from tropical storm Melissa in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic

The tropical storm Melissa is bringing heavy rains and flooding this Thursday to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, leaving communities submerged, damaged water systems, and hundreds of thousands of people without drinking water.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the United States warned in its bulletin number 9, issued at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern Time), that Melissa could become a major hurricane over the weekend, primarily impacting Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.

"Se espera que Melissa se intensifique hasta convertirse en un huracán mayor, y el riesgo de un período prolongado de varios días con vientos dañinos, así como de inundaciones tanto en el interior como en las zonas costeras, continúa aumentando para Jamaica", señaló el NHC.

According to reports from local media, the heavy rainfall has already caused the overflow of several rivers and the flooding of streets in various communities of the municipality of Salinas, in the province of Peravia, in the Dominican Republic.

Videos shared on social media show the strength of the winds and the force of the waters flooding homes and burying cars.

The World Food Programme (WFP) in the Dominican Republic reported that its teams are analyzing meteorological and impact data to guide actions aimed at protecting vulnerable communities in the face of the storm.

De acuerdo con el National Institute of Potable Water and Sewage (INAPA), más de 647 thousand people se encuentran sin acceso al agua potable debido a los daños provocados por la tormenta en al menos 48 aqueducts del país. El Emergency Operations Center (EOC) mantiene 25 provinces on alert por los efectos de las lluvias.

In the Juan Valdez sector of the National District, residents reported total flooding following the overflow of a ravine, which has impacted traffic and homes, according to the channel Noticias Telemicro.

El NHC urgió a los habitantes de Jamaica a accelerate the preparations para proteger sus vidas y propiedades ante las posibles coastal flooding y los hurricane-force winds que podrían extenderse por varios días.

The meteorological authorities of the region warned that intense rainfall could result in significant flash floods and landslides, especially in mountainous and coastal areas of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

El NHC también instó a los residentes de Cuba a mantenerse atentos a los próximos boletines, ya que el slow movement de Melissa podría prolongar sus efectos sobre el Caribe central durante varios días. El sistema Melissa se mueve lentamente hacia el noroeste del Caribe y podría alcanzar categoría 3 antes del domingo.

Local authorities are maintaining emergency operations and preventive shelters.

Social media users have shared images of flooded streets, damaged homes, and isolated communities. The hashtag #TormentaMelissa remains trending in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.