KINGSTON, Jamaica (Reuters) -Tropical Storm Melissa has become a hurricane and is expected to strengthen into at least Category 4 intensity, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Saturday.

The rapidly intensifying storm is expected to wreak havoc across the Caribbean with catastrophic floods, landslides and storm surges expected in Jamaica and southern Hispaniola into early next week, forcing authorities and residents to batten down.

Hurricane Melissa is located about 130 miles (210 km) southeast of Kingston and about 250 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, according to the NHC advisory.

Maximum sustained winds increased to near 90 mph (150 km/h).

A hurricane warning is in place for Jamaica, and a hurricane watch for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti and parts of Cuba, inc

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