BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Tropical Storm Melissa has claimed its first victim in Haiti, as an elderly man in the coastal town of Marigot lost his life due to severe flooding caused by the storm. According to Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency, the man was tragically struck by a falling tree, while five others sustained injuries in the central Artibonite region. The storm, which continues to intensify over the warm Caribbean waters, poses a significant threat of dangerous landslides and life-threatening flooding to Jamaica and southern Hispaniola. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami reported that as of 11:00 AM local time, the center of Tropical Storm Melissa was positioned near latitude 15.4 North, longitude 74.9 West. The storm is currently moving north-northwest at a slow pace of 2 mph (4 km/h), with a forecasted northward motion over the next day or two, followed by a westward turn by the weekend. Meteorologists predict that Melissa will strengthen into a hurricane within the next couple of days, potentially becoming a major hurricane by the end of the weekend. Residents in the affected areas are urged to prepare for severe weather conditions and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety.