Hurricane Melissa made landfall Tuesday in Jamaica as a fearsome Category 5 storm , bringing heavy floodwaters across the country's southwest and catastrophic winds that tore roofs off buildings.

The most powerful hurricane to lash the island since record-keeping began 174 years ago and one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded, Melissa struck Jamaica with sustained winds of 185 mph, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.

Melissa weakened somewhat after landfall, with the hurricane center saying in its 8 p.m. ET update that winds had decreased to 125 mph, now a Category 3 speed.

The storm initially came ashore near New Hope, on the southwestern coast of Jamaica, and was traveling north-northeast at 8 mph, the center said. Landslides, fallen trees and numer

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