Hurricane Melissa has unleashed one of the most powerful displays of nature in recorded history, rewriting what the Caribbean and the world thought was possible during hurricane season.

Making landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday with winds blasting at 185 miles per hour, Melissa entered the record books as a Category 5 monster and the strongest storm the island has ever seen.

By Wednesday morning, it had shifted north into Cuba with Category 3 strength, hitting at 120 miles per hour before weakening slightly.

At least seven people have lost their lives as Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic struggle with catastrophic winds, extreme flooding, and deadly storm surge.

“For Jamaica, it will be the storm of the century for sure.” With those words, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew

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