Tropical Storm Melissa Nears Jamaica Triggers Deadly Floods Chaos

Kingston, Jamaica: The slow-moving yet powerful Tropical Storm Melissa is wreaking havoc across the Caribbean, bringing torrential rains, deadly floods, and life-threatening landslides to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, while Jamaica braces for its direct impact in the coming days.

As of Friday, Tropical Storm Melissa hovered nearly stationary in the central Caribbean, about 180 miles (290 km) southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. The storm, packing winds of 65 mph (100 kph), is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane—possibly reaching Category 4 status—before making landfall across central Jamaica early next week.

Forecasters warn that Tropical Storm Melissa could dump up to 35 inches (89 cm) of rain across southwest Haiti and up to 25 inches (64 cm) in Jamaica and southern parts of the Dominican Republic through Tuesday. The U.S. National Hurricane Center has issued hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings for Jamaica and Haiti’s Tiburon Peninsula, calling the situation “potentially catastrophic.”

At least four people have died so far—three in Haiti, including two in a landslide in Port-au-Prince, and one in the Dominican Republic. One more person remains missing as flooding continues to devastate communities. Nearly 200 homes have been damaged in the Dominican Republic, leaving over half a million people without access to clean water.

“This is a slow-motion disaster,” warned Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather’s lead hurricane expert. “Millions of people are at risk of catastrophic flooding, and Tropical Storm Melissa could turn into a humanitarian crisis if it stalls over the region.”

In Haiti, where thousands of families already displaced by gang violence live in fragile shelters, the storm has sparked new fear. “I’m dealing with two storms—the gangs and the weather,” said Port-au-Prince resident Nephtali Johnson Pierre.

Jamaica has already begun emergency preparations. Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced the closure of schools, government offices, and health centers, with all airports expected to shut once a hurricane warning is issued. More than 650 emergency shelters have been activated nationwide. “Jamaica is at risk. There is a threat,” Holness said, urging citizens to stay indoors and prepare for prolonged hurricane conditions lasting up to 72 hours.

Residents across the island are taking precautions—boarding up windows, checking roofs, moving vehicles to higher ground, and stocking up on essential supplies. “We’ve been through storms before,” said Kingston resident Marcus Thompson, “but it’s better to be ready early this time.”

Meanwhile, the Bahamas has started evacuating its students from Jamaica ahead of the storm’s arrival, as regional governments remain on high alert.

Tropical Storm Melissa is forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane by Sunday and could strike eastern Cuba by Wednesday, bringing additional heavy rainfall of up to 12 inches (30 cm) in some areas.

With its slow pace and immense rainfall, Tropical Storm Melissa has evolved into one of the most dangerous systems of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season—a relentless force testing the resilience and readiness of Caribbean nations already facing deep challenges.