The hurricane Melissa continues to gain strength over the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea and poses a direct threat to the east of Cuba, as reported this Sunday by the Meteorological Institute in its update transmitted by Cuban Television (TVC).

The system, which rapidly strengthened overnight on Saturday, reached category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale with maximum sustained winds of 220 kilometers per hour and higher gusts.

Meteorologists warned that Melissa has a well-defined eye, a sign of its high organization and the energy accumulated in its center.

At 6:00 AM, the hurricane was located at 16.3 degrees North latitude and 76.4 degrees West longitude, placing it 180 kilometers south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 415 kilometers south of Santiago de Cuba.

Melissa continues to move slowly to the west, at a speed of 7 kilometers per hour, allowing it to remain over very warm waters and maintain its high intensity.

Experts predict that the system will gradually turn north and northeast between Monday and Tuesday, dangerously nearing the eastern Cuban region.

The weather report from TVC displayed satellite images showing how the hurricane distributes extensive cloud cover over the central and eastern Caribbean, with its outer bands already impacting Camagüey and the eastern provinces of the island.

Meteorological authorities warned that the influx of moisture and the feeding bands of the system will cause showers, rain, and thunderstorms throughout the day, especially in the eastern part of the country.

On the southern coasts of the eastern provinces, swells are expected that could increase to strong surges as the hurricane approaches.

Northeast winds, ranging from 15 to 30 kilometers per hour, with higher gusts in coastal areas, will generate waves along the northern and southern coasts of the west and center, and adverse conditions in the east.

Meteorologists reminded that the slow movement of the system and its large size make it a potentially devastating threat to the eastern region of Cuba, where preventive measures and evacuations are already being implemented.

The Cuban Meteorological Institute warned this Sunday about the imminent strong swells in the southern seas of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantánamo, caused by the proximity of the powerful hurricane Melissa, which reached category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

According to the latest tropical cyclone advisory No. 12 issued by the Forecast Center, the weather phenomenon has undergone a rapid intensification process in recent hours, with sustained winds of 220 kilometers per hour and a central pressure of 944 hectoPascals.

In this regard, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in Santiago de Cuba and president of the Provincial Defense Council, Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, launched a message this Sunday of , which threatens to have a devastating impact on the eastern part of the country.