Hurricane Melissa made landfall near Chivirico, Cuba early Wednesday as a powerful Category 3 storm after slamming Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record.

About 735,000 people remained in shelters in eastern Cuba, where the storm made landfall as a Category 3, authorities told the Associated Press.

But the hurricane, now downgraded to a Category 2 but growing in size, has begun impacting the southeastern Bahamas as of Wednesday afternoon.

Melissa had winds of 120 mph and started to weaken after making its second landfall in eastern Cuba, but forecasters tell FOX Weather that the hurricane's force will continue as it spins across the island.

The hurricane is projected to make its way Thursday near or to the west of Bermuda, where a hurricane watch is in effect.

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