KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hurricane Melissa has escalated to a Category 3 storm, wreaking havoc across the Caribbean and posing a severe threat to Jamaica and the island of Hispaniola. Forecasters warn of further intensification as the storm moves at a perilously slow pace, heightening concerns over prolonged devastation. The hurricane, with sustained winds of 115 miles per hour, has already claimed three lives in Haiti due to heavy rains and landslides triggered by its outer bands. In the Dominican Republic, a 79-year-old man was found dead after being swept away by floodwaters, while a 13-year-old boy remains missing. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued dire warnings of ‘life-threatening and catastrophic’ flooding and landslides in Jamaica and southern Hispaniola. Rapid intensification is expected to continue, potentially elevating Melissa to a major hurricane by Sunday. As of Saturday evening, the storm was positioned 125 miles southeast of Kingston and 280 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, moving at a sluggish three miles per hour. The NHC predicts total rainfall of 15 to 30 inches in affected regions, with isolated areas receiving up to 40 inches. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has urged residents in flood-prone areas to prepare for evacuation, emphasizing the likelihood of recurring flooding. Melissa marks the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, following the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl in early July 2024, which claimed four lives in Jamaica. The slow-moving nature of Melissa raises fears of prolonged destruction, with the storm expected to linger over Jamaica and Hispaniola for multiple days before potentially threatening eastern Cuba.