**Hurricane Melissa Hits Jamaica, Weakens to Category 3** Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane, marking one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls recorded in the Atlantic. As of now, Melissa has weakened to a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph as it moves toward eastern Cuba. The storm initially struck Jamaica with winds reaching 160 mph, causing catastrophic damage across the island. Melissa is tied with Hurricane Dorian from 2019 and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 for the strongest sustained winds at landfall in the Atlantic Basin. It is also the most powerful storm to ever hit Jamaica, surpassing Hurricane Gilbert, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm in 1988 with winds of 130 mph. In response to the devastation, Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared the country a disaster area. This declaration allows the government to better manage the ongoing response to the hurricane. As of now, no fatalities have been reported in Jamaica since Melissa's landfall, according to Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica's Disaster Risk Management Council. He cautioned that it is still early in the assessment process, as response teams have not yet reached the hardest-hit areas. Earlier reports indicated that three people died in Jamaica during preparations for the storm. McKenzie mentioned that at least three families are trapped in Black River, and rescue teams are working to reach them. The hurricane has caused significant flooding in the southwestern parish of St. Elizabeth and extensive damage in parts of Clarendon. Other areas, including St. Thomas, Portland, and St. Catherine, are experiencing flooding, fallen trees, power outages, landslides, and storm surges. Four major hospitals on the island have also sustained damage due to the storm. Nearly 6,000 people are currently in shelters across Jamaica as of Tuesday afternoon, according to McKenzie. As Hurricane Melissa continues its path toward Cuba, officials are closely monitoring the situation and preparing for further impacts.