Hurricane Melissa charges toward Cuba after pummeling Jamaica with historic power
700,000 people evacuated as Hurricane Melissa surges towards Cuba
- Hurricane Melissa, a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 130 mph, was forecast to make landfall in eastern Cuba early Wednesday after severely impacting Jamaica.
- Cuban authorities evacuated more than 700,000 people, anticipating catastrophic damage, a 12-foot storm surge, and up to 20 inches of rain, which could exacerbate the nation's economic crisis.
- In Jamaica, the hurricane caused extensive damage, leaving more than half a million people without power, flooding vast areas, and damaging four hospitals, leading to 75 patient evacuations.
- Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel urged the population not to underestimate Hurricane Melissa's power, assuring that all resources would be deployed to protect lives despite the expected widespread destruction.
- The storm has been linked to seven fatalities across the Caribbean, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic, where another individual is missing.