Jamaica is braced for the "catastrophic" impact of Hurricane Melissa, which is tearing through the Caribbean.

"Seek shelter now," warned the National Hurricane Center in an update published late Sunday evening Eastern time.

"Damaging winds and heavy rainfall tonight and Monday will cause catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides before potentially devastating winds arrive Monday night and Tuesday morning."

Melissa is a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds that have increased to near 150 mph

NHC: Additional intensification is forecast today, expected to be a powerful major hurricane when making landfall

Jamaica first to be hit on Monday, followed by Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Eastern Cuba through Tuesday

Southeast Bahamas and the Turks a

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