Heavy rains and strong winds have been shaking Jamaica since Monday as Hurricane Melissa approaches, which could be the strongest to make landfall in the history of the Caribbean country this Tuesday, October 28.
Driven by abnormally warm waters, Storm Melissa became a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, becoming a significant threat due to the natural disasters it could cause.
Aboard a propeller plane, a US Air Force military squadron shared stunning photographs of the phenomenon as it plunged into the eye of the storm. Their mission: collect meteorological data to anticipate the development of the hurricane.
According to the latest data reported by the US Army, the atmospheric pressure at this stage rises to 933 hectopascals, synonymous with violent winds and very degraded weather conditions.
While the choice of a propeller aircraft may be surprising, it provides US Air Force units with remarkable freedom of maneuver, thanks to its large fuel capacity that allows it to fly in the heart and outskirts of the cyclone.
Risk of flooding and landslides
With strong wind gusts of up to 280 kilometers per hour, Hurricane Melissa risks causing coastal flooding of up to four meters.
Flooding and heavy rain are also expected in areas where the habitat is precarious, raising fears of landslides due to excess moisture in the soil.
The concern is all the greater since Hurricane Melissa is moving at very low speed, four kilometers per hour. Therefore, torrential rains and strong winds could last forever in the affected areas. If it does not lose intensity, it will be the most powerful hurricane to make landfall in Jamaica since meteorological monitoring began.
According to local authorities on Monday, three people died in Jamaica while preparing for the hurricane’s arrival, cutting branches and working on ladders.
After crossing Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa is expected to reach Cuba early Wednesday, where authorities have already begun closing schools and evacuating residents. Continuing its course northward, the hurricane could then affect the southern Bahamas and the archipelago of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British territory.
Source: BFM TV
