KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Hurricane Melissa strengthened Tuesday as it crawled toward Jamaica, where officials and residents braced for catastrophic winds, flash flooding and landslides from the Category 5 storm, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history.
The streets in the capital, Kingston, remained largely empty as Melissa approached with 185 mph (295 kph) winds, save for the lone stray dog crossing puddles and a handful of people walking briskly under tree branches waving in a stiff wind.
The Jamaican government said it had done all it could to prepare as it warned of devastating damage from the strongest hurricane to hit the island since recordkeeping began 174 years ago.
“There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5,” Prime Minister Andrew Holness said. “The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge.”
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami warned people in the storm’s path as landfall neared Tuesday morning that this is the “last chance to protect your life.” The storm is expected slice diagonally across the island and hit Cuba shortly afterward.
