Hurricane Melissa has intensified to a Category 5 storm as it heads toward Jamaica.

The storm currently has a miximum sustained wind speed of 160 mph and is moving toward the island at a speed of 3 mph, with the National Hurricane Center predicting "the core of Melissa is expected to move near or over Jamaica tonight and Tuesday, across southeastern Cuba Tuesday night, and across the southeastern Bahamas on Wednesday."

People are being warned to brace themselves and evacuate low-lying areas as "destructive winds and storm surger and catastrophic flooding will worsen on Jamaica through the day and into tonight," the NHC said. Peak storm surge could reach 9 to 13 feet in places.

The storm is also "likely" to trigger flash flooding and landslides in Jamaica with 15 to 30 of inches likel

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