Geneva: Hurricane Melissa has rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 5 storm, threatening to unleash Jamaica’s most destructive weather event in more than a century. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that the hurricane could bring catastrophic winds, torrential rain, and life-threatening storm surges across the island in the coming hours.

The WMO described Melissa as “the storm of the century for Jamaica,” with wind speeds surpassing 300 kilometers per hour and rainfall expected to exceed 70 centimeters in some regions. Authorities fear the combination of extreme winds, flash floods, and landslides could devastate communities, particularly those in coastal and mountainous areas.

More than 800 emergency shelters have been prepared across the country, but offic

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