Washington DC [US], October 25 : At least four people have been killed as Tropical Storm Melissa sweeps across the Caribbean, bringing torrential rains, destructive winds, and a growing threat of catastrophic flooding, Al Jazeera reported, citing officials.
According to Al Jazeera, three fatalities were reported in Haiti, two from a landslide in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and another after being struck by a falling tree in Marigot.
A fourth person was killed in the Dominican Republic, where another remains missing, authorities said.
The United States-based National Hurricane Centre (NHC) warned that Melissa is expected to strengthen into a hurricane later on Saturday and could intensify into a "major hurricane" by Sunday, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The storm, moving slowly at just 5 kilometres per hour, is dumping relentless rain across the northern Caribbean.
Up to 64 centimetres of rainfall is expected in Jamaica and the southern parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic through Monday, with as much as 89 centimetres possible across Haiti's Tiburon Peninsula.
"If those rains were to occur, you're talking about catastrophic flooding potential," said Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the NHC, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The storm was located over the central Caribbean Sea before dawn Saturday, with maximum sustained winds nearing 110 km/h. Its slow pace means Jamaica could face hurricane conditions for more than 72 hours.
Authorities in Jamaica have activated more than 650 emergency shelters and warned that airports will close once a hurricane warning is declared.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness also urged residents to take the threat seriously, saying, "Take all measures to protect yourself," as reported by Al Jazeera.
In the Dominican Republic, the storm has damaged nearly 200 homes and left more than half a million people without water.
Over two dozen communities remain cut off due to severe flooding, prompting mass evacuations and nationwide school closures.
The NHC forecast indicates that Melissa will likely hit eastern Cuba as a major hurricane by Wednesday, posing a continued threat of life-threatening floods and landslides across the region.
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