KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hurricane Melissa intensified to Category 5 strength Monday as it neared Jamaica, where forecasters said it would unleash catastrophic flooding, multiple landslides, and extensive infrastructure damage.

Melissa is forecast to make landfall on the island on Tuesday and cross Cuba and the Bahamas through Wednesday.

Early Monday, Melissa was centered about 135 miles (220 kilometers) southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 320 miles (515 kilometers) southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. 7

The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 kph) and was moving west at 3 mph (5 kph), the center said.

Category 5 is the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds exceeding 157 mph (250 kph). Hurricane M

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