Hurricane Melissa has rapidly strengthened into a major Category 3 with potentially catastrophic consequences, as it dropped torrential rain in the northern Caribbean and threatened disastrous flooding and landslides in Jamaica and southern Haiti.

Forecasters in the United States warned Saturday that the lumbering Melissa is expected to gain strength when making landfall in Jamaica in the coming day or two.

“I urge Jamaicans to take this weather threat seriously,” said Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. “Take all measures to protect yourself.”

Melissa was centred about 200km (125 miles) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 455km (280 miles) west-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, late Saturday night.

It had maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometres per hour (115 miles

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