Hundreds of Thousands Evacuated as Hurricane Melissa Strikes Cuba

Hurricane Melissa made landfall early Wednesday near Chivirico in eastern Cuba as a Category 3 storm.

The Hurricane brought top sustained winds of 120 mph and heavy rainfall.

The hurricanes has prompted hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate.

The hurricane’s center was located 20 miles east of Chivirico and 60 miles west-southwest of Guantánamo, moving northeast at 10 mph .

Cuban authorities issued hurricane warnings for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguín, and Las Tunas.

Forecasters warned that up to 20 inches of rain could fall in eastern Cuba creating a serious risk of flooding and landslides particularly in mountainous areas.

Melissa is expected to cross Cuba Wednesday and move into the Bahamas later in the day.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center has also issued a hurricane watch for Bermuda.

Before hitting Cuba, Melissa struck Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 185 mph.

Heavy floodwaters swept across southwestern Jamaica, while winds tore roofs off buildings and caused boulders to tumble onto roads.

Melissa’s heavy rains and strong winds also affected Haiti and the Dominican Republic, causing flooding, landslides and fallen trees.

At least 12 people have died as a result of Hurricane Melissa.

The storm has primarily affected the islands of Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic and the death toll is expected to rise as search and recovery efforts continues.

Melissa’s winds make it the strongest Atlantic hurricane to make landfall since Hurricane Dorian in 2019, placing it among the most powerful storms in recorded Atlantic history.

The storm also generated a storm surge of up to 12 feet .