Monitoring Melissa—a catastrophic Cat 5 hurricane—ahead of projected landfall in Jamaica
From CRFM Secretariat
Multiple landfalls expected elsewhere in the Caribbean within the next few days
…CATEGORY 5 MELISSA MOVING SLOWLY WEST-NORTHWESTWARD AND EXPECTED TO TURN NORTHWARD LATER TODAY…
…CATASTROPHIC AND LIFE-THREATENING WINDS, FLOODING, AND STORM SURGE EXPECTED ON JAMAICA TONIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY…
— NOAA Advisory, 1:00 p.m. Jamaica time
All interests in the North-Western Sub-Region of the Caribbean Community—especially Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands—are being strongly advised by regional and national authorities to monitor Hurricane Melissa as it threatens to make landfall in Jamaica within the next 24 hours. People in Melissa’s forecasted path are advised to take action, and those in low lying communities at risk of storm surge are advised—and in some cases order—to evacuate. At 7:15 this morning, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) in Jamaica, announced that the Disaster Risk Management (Hurricane Melissa) Evacuation Order, 2025 had taken effect. Residents from seven high-risk areas were ordered to evacuate. (See official order here.) However, several other communities were deemed to be high risk, and therefore asked to take appropriate action to minimize the loss of life and property.Mandatory evacuations in Jamaica required for:1. Port Royal, Kingston 2. Portland Cottage, Clarendon 3. Rocky Point, Clarendon 4. Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine 5. Taylor Land, Bull Bay, St. Andrew 6. New Haven, St. Andrew 7. Riverton City, St. Andrew All residents in these areas MUST evacuate immediately. |
Above is an official map showing all high-risk communities, with flood-prone areas marked blue and landslide prone areas marked brown.
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Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) issued its fifth Information Note Sunday night saying:
Tropical storm conditions are likely affecting Jamaica at present, while hurricane conditions may begin on Monday (October 27). Tropical storm conditions have begun to affect the watch and warning areas of Haiti. The potential for hurricane conditions in Haiti have decreased but my still be possible on Tuesday. Hurricane Melissa is expected to deliver heavy rainfall to eastern Jamaica (15-30 inches) and additional 8-16 inches to southern Haiti into Wednesday, October 29, with as much as 40 inches possible in some areas. Southeast Bahamas, is expected to receive 4 to 8 inches of rainfall Tuesday into Wednesday. There is a significant threat of catastrophic flash-flooding, landslides and urban flooding in Hati and Jamaica, and further risk of flash-flooding in SE Bahamas.
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| Support in the aftermath |
Please contact us with information on how the CRFM Community can support recovery in the aftermath of Melissa. We will use our online channels to support legitimate initiatives aimed at helping our affected communities to recover in the aftermath of Melissa.
Please send information to: [email protected], copied to [email protected].
| CRFM Secretariat |
| 212 North Front StreetP.O. Box 642 Belize City, BELIZE |
