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By Anna Skinner
Associate News Editor
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Hurricane Melissa will soon make landfall in Jamaica, putting millions of people at risk of extremely dangerous winds and catastrophic, life-threatening storm surge, flooding, mudslides, and myriad other weather threats.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the island was entirely at the mercy of the storm.
"There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5," Holness said, according to The Associated Press. "The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge."
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Newsweek reached out to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) by email for comment.
Why It Matters
As of Tuesday morning, Hurricane Melissa was an extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained wind speeds of 185 mph. The storm is the strongest hurricane in modern history to impact Jamaica, and has already killed at least seven people in the Caribbean.
It was expected to make landfall in St. Elizabeth Parish, which is about 75 miles west of Kingston, on the southwest coast.
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What to Know
Among Jamaica's 2.8 million population are several celebrities who are bound to also feel the storm's impact as it barrels through the island on Tuesday. Hurricane warnings are in place for the entire island, NHC said.
Kingston, Jamaica
Located along the southeastern coast, Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, home to nearly 1 million people, including several celebrities. Kingston Parish is one of 14 on the island.
Among those living in Kingston are Grammy award-winning singer Damian Marley, second youngest child of Bob Marley; Olympic gold medalist and retired sprinter Usain Bolt; and Grammy award-winning singer Sean Paul.
"Keep Safe Jamaica," Bolt posted on X on Tuesday morning with the Jamaican flag and prayer hands emojis.
Port Antonio, Jamaica
Port Antonio is home to more than 14,000 people and is the capital of the Portland parish in northwestern Jamaica. It is home to Pompey, the recording studio and estate for Diplo, a Grammy award-winning DJ and songwriter.
"For a little island, this country has had such a powerful cultural impact around the world. There’s magic here," Diplo said about Jamaica in an About Us section for Pompey.
Round Hill, Jamaica
Round Hill is a luxurious resort located in Montego Bay, which is home to nearly 80,000 people. Montego Bay is a popular tourist destination and the capitol of the St. James Parish in northwestern Jamaica.
Ralph Lauren, renowned fashion designer and billionaire, lives in a villa in Round Hill with his wife, Ricky. The couple bought the home roughly three decades ago. Lauren also has homes in New York and Colorado.
"I live a very hectic life," Lauren said in a 2016 report by Architectural Digest. " [...] I'm busy all the time. In Jamaica I have no obligations. It's very serene, a different world, far from everything."
Orcabessa Bay, Jamaica
Orcabessa Bay is a small town in the Saint Mary Parish, located in the northeast part of the island. It is home to 7,000 people. The town also houses the GoldenEye Villa, a retreat that previously was the private home and beach of Ian Fleming, a British author best known for creating the James Bond series.
"Would these books have been born if I had not been living in the gorgeous vacuum of a Jamaican holiday? I doubt it," Fleming said in a quote shared on the GoldenEye Villa website.
Fleming died in 1964.
What People Are Saying
NHC in a public advisory about the storm: "Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica and southeastern Cuba as an extremely dangerous major hurricane, and it will still be at hurricane strength when it moves across the southeastern Bahamas."
AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter said in a report: "People in Jamaica have not experienced a direct strike from a major hurricane in nearly 40 years. Hurricane Gilbert made landfall in 1988 as a Category 3 storm, moving much faster than Melissa."
What Happens Next
Melissa will make landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday morning before tearing through the island. People there are urged to remain inside their safe shelters. People living within the warning areas in Cuba and the Bahamas should rush preparations to protect life and property to completion.
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