**Hurricane Melissa Makes Landfall in Eastern Cuba as Category 3 Storm**
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in eastern Cuba near the city of Chivirico early Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, after battering Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
Hundreds of thousands of people had been evacuated to shelters across Cuba ahead of the storm. A hurricane warning was in effect for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Holguin, and Las Tunas.
As of early Wednesday, Melissa had top sustained winds of 120 mph and was moving northeast at 10 mph, the National Hurricane Center in Miami reported. The hurricane’s center was located about 20 miles east of Chivirico and approximately 60 miles west-southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba.
Melissa was forecast to cross the island throughout the morning and then move into the Bahamas later on Wednesday. Forecasters warned that intense rain could cause life-threatening flooding and numerous landslides.
A hurricane watch was also in effect for Bermuda.
**Impact on Jamaica and the Caribbean**
Melissa struck Jamaica on Tuesday with top sustained winds of 185 mph. The storm was expected to produce a storm surge of up to 12 feet and drop as much as 20 inches of rain in parts of eastern Cuba.
“Numerous landslides are likely in those areas,” said Michael Brennan, director of the US National Hurricane Center.
The hurricane threatens to exacerbate Cuba’s severe economic crisis, which has already resulted in prolonged power blackouts, fuel shortages, and food scarcity.
“There will be a lot of work to do. We know there will be a lot of damage,” Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said in a televised address. He assured the public that “no one is left behind and no resources are spared to protect the lives of the population.” He also emphasized the strength of the storm, describing Melissa as “the strongest ever to hit national territory.”
**Preparations and Damage Assessment**
Provinces from Guantánamo in eastern Cuba to Camagüey, nearly in the center of the elongated island, suspended classes starting Monday as part of preparation efforts.
In Jamaica, officials prepared to assess the storm damage on Wednesday. Extensive flooding was reported in parts of Clarendon in southern Jamaica, and the southwestern parish of St. Elizabeth was said to be “under water,” according to Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica’s Disaster Risk Management Council.
The storm caused damage to four hospitals and left one without power, forcing the evacuation of 75 patients.
More than half a million customers were reported without power by late Tuesday, with the island experiencing widespread downed trees, power lines, and flooding.
The Jamaican government hopes to reopen all airports as early as Thursday to speed the distribution of emergency relief supplies.
**Casualties and Ongoing Risks**
The hurricane has been blamed for seven deaths across the Caribbean so far, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing.
Residents and officials alike remain on high alert as Melissa continues its path through the Caribbean, with ongoing concerns about flooding, landslides, and additional damage to infrastructure.
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*Follow ongoing coverage of Hurricane Melissa for the latest updates.*
https://nypost.com/2025/10/29/world-news/hurricane-melissa-makes-landfall-in-eastern-cuba-as-a-category-3-storm/
