Kingston, Jamaica — The outer bands of Hurricane Melissa are hitting Jamaica . They're the leading edge of the catastrophic Category 5 storm — the strongest to lash the island since recordkeeping began 174 years ago.

Tropical storm conditions are already occurring in Jamaica, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.

Landslides, fallen trees and numerous power outages are being reported, with officials cautioning that the cleanup and damage assessment will be slow.

World Meteorological Organization tropical cyclone specialist Anne-Claire Fontan told reporters in Geneva Tuesday she expects catastrophic damage on the island, saying, "For Jamaica, it will be the storm of the century for sure," according to the Reuters news service.

And Melissa could affect 1.5 million people i

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