Hurricane Category 5 Melissa will impact Jamaica in the coming hours and is moving towards the east of Cuba

Hurricane Melissa maintains its peak strength as a category 5 system with sustained winds of 280 kilometers per hour and a minimum pressure of 901 millibars, according to the latest report from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the United States, issued at 2:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

The eye of the hurricane is located at 16.8 degrees north and 78.4 degrees west, about 215 kilometers southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and 500 kilometers southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba. Melissa is moving slowly to the north-northeast at about 4 kilometers per hour, a movement that will bring it into direct impact with Jamaica in the coming hours of Tuesday morning.

The NHC warns that catastrophic winds, torrential rain, and storm surge are expected, which could elevate sea levels between 9 and 13 feet above ground, accompanied by destructive waves. Jamaica is already reporting sustained winds and strong gusts in the capital, Kingston, where Norman Manley Airport recorded gusts of over 80 kilometers per hour.

After passing through Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa will continue heading northeast and is expected to cross the southeast of Cuba during the early hours and morning of Wednesday, before moving towards the southeast and central Bahamas.

In Cuba, a hurricane warning remains in effect for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, and Holguín, while a tropical storm warning is issued for Las Tunas. Authorities recommend taking extra precautions in light of the imminent arrival of heavy rains, destructive winds, and coastal flooding.