Hurricane Melissa has escalated into a formidable Category 5 storm, posing a severe threat to Jamaica with its potential for devastating rainfall, destructive winds, and life-threatening storm surges. As of Monday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami reported that Melissa was positioned approximately 130 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 315 miles south-southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba. The hurricane boasts maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour and is advancing westward at a sluggish pace of just 3 mph. Forecasters predict that Melissa will make landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, subsequently traversing Cuba and the Bahamas through Wednesday. The NHC has issued warnings that the storm’s slow movement could result in up to 30 inches of rainfall across Jamaica, exacerbating the risk of flooding and other hazards. Melissa is now recognized as the most potent hurricane in recent history to directly threaten Jamaica. The storm’s intensity has already claimed lives, with at least three fatalities reported in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic, where another individual remains missing. In response to the impending crisis, Jamaican authorities have activated emergency shelters and mandated evacuations for residents in low-lying and coastal areas.