Hurricane Melissa slammed into Jamaica on Tuesday with a fury the island hasn’t seen in nearly two centuries. The monster storm made landfall as a Category 5 powerhouse, shredding rooftops, swallowing streets in floodwaters, and battering the southwest coast with 185-mph winds.
Meteorologists say it’s the strongest hurricane ever recorded in Jamaica’s 174 years of weather history — and one of the fiercest the Atlantic has ever unleashed.
By Tuesday night, Melissa began to weaken slightly over land, downgrading to a still-deadly Category 4 with winds around 130 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. But for thousands across Jamaica, the damage was already done — and the full scope of the disaster is only beginning to unfold.
Even in the storm, God is still in control. Keep Jamaica in your prayers. 🙏