Hurricane Melissa is approaching Jamaica with force, having already surpassed Katrina of 2005 in intensity.

With winds reaching 290 km/h and an atmospheric pressure of 896 millibars – the sixth lowest ever recorded in the Atlantic – Melissa ranks among the strongest hurricanes in history.

The US National Hurricane Center is warning that the hurricane, a Category 5, will hit the southern coast of Jamaica on Tuesday afternoon, with strong winds and waves up to 4 meters high.

The invasion zone is estimated to be between Black River and Treasure Beach, 60 to 70 miles west of Kingston.

Authorities have urged residents to store water, clean wells and seek shelter, but the response remains limited.

The Minister for Local Government, Desmond McKenzie, expressed concern about the small number of evacuations, estimating that around 50,000 people would need to be relocated.

Health Minister Christopher Tufton confirmed three deaths and 13 injuries related to storm preparations, while at least three more victims were reported in Haiti.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness warned of devastating consequences: roofs blown off, flooded streets and severe damage to infrastructure. No infrastructure in the region could withstand a Category 5 hurricane, he warned.

The Hurricane Center's warning is clear: Stay in shelters. Torrential rains, landslides, damaging winds, and power outages are expected. Total collapse of buildings is possible near the center of Melissa. Failure to take action could result in serious injury or loss of life.

Areas such as Mandeville, Montego Bay, Negril, Black River and Alligator Pond are expected to take the heaviest hits.

Leanne Archer, a researcher at the University of Bristol, described Melissa as perhaps the most devastating hurricane to ever hit Jamaica, noting that the islands least responsible for the climate crisis are suffering the heaviest consequences.

Up to 1,000 millimeters of rain is expected in the mountainous parts, with a high risk of landslides and flooding.

The coastal areas of the south are at the epicenter of the threat, while after the eye of the hurricane passes, the waves will turn towards the northern coasts.

Melissa will cross the island in about six hours. At its core, winds will uproot trees, knock down power lines and throw up debris.

The eye of the hurricane, 10 miles across, will bring a temporary lull – a brief pause before the storm's second wave of fury.

After Jamaica, Melissa is expected to move towards Cuba, arriving there as a Category 3 hurricane.

Subsequently, the phenomenon will affect the central and southeastern part of the Bahamas, before moving northeast towards the Atlantic.

Meteorologists estimate that Melissa will approach Bermuda on Friday, while its moisture will strengthen storms expected in the eastern United States from Massachusetts to New York.

Although it is expected to weaken over the weekend, Hurricane Melissa is already on record as one of the strongest and longest-lasting Atlantic storms in recent decades, at a time when extreme weather events are intensifying due to warming oceans.