U.S. forecasters issued a hurricane warning for Jamaica Saturday as Storm Melissa reached hurricane strength, threatening catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean.

A hurricane warning means winds of at least 74 mph (119 kph) are expected in the area within 36 hours.

"Melissa has become a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph," the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Saturday afternoon. "Rapid intensification is expected, and Melissa is forecast to become a major hurricane tomorrow."

The slow-moving storm was expected to drop torrential rain, up to 25 inches (64 centimeters), on Jamaica, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

A similar forecast was issued for the southern regions of Haiti and the Dominican Republic through Monday. Life-threatening flooding an

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