KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Hurricane Melissa is close to making landfall on Jamaica as by far the strongest storm to hit the island since records were first kept 174 years ago.

Melissa is a Category 5 storm with sustained wind speeds of 175 mph (280 kph). It is expected to slice diagonally across the island, entering near St. Elizabeth parish in the south and exiting around St. Ann parish in the north, before heading for Cuba. A life-threatening storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters) is expected across southern Jamaica.

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