Hurricane Melissa on path to historic Jamaica landfall as situations worsen: Dwell updates

[ad_1] <div data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/image/instances/cmhadz9ut00043b6o37v4qkm2@published" class="image image__hide-placeholder" data-image-variation="image" data-name="2025-10-28T043832Z_278247073_RC2SKHAPM76G_RTRMADP_3_STORM-MELISSA.JPG" data-component-name="image" data-observe-resizes="" data-breakpoints="{" image--eq-extra-small="" data-original-ratio="0.5625" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" data-url="https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/2025-10-28t043832z-278247073-rc2skhapm76g-rtrmadp-3-storm-melissa.JPG?c=original" data-editable="settings"> <img src="https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/2025-10-28t043832z-278247073-rc2skhapm76g-rtrmadp-3-storm-melissa.JPG?c=original&q=w_1280,c_fill/f_avif" alt="A satellite view shows Storm Melissa over the Caribbean Sea." class="image__dam-img image__dam-img--loading" onload="this.classList.remove('image__dam-img--loading')" onerror="imageLoadError(this)" height="1080" width="1920" loading="lazy"/>

As Hurricane Melissa creeps towards Jamaica, bringing intense rain and winds, residents are grappling with each bodily and emotional tolls.

“This can be a storm that has actually been going very sluggish, which is what has brought on it to hold round for nearly per week,” Michael Taylor, a local weather scientist and professor on the College of the West Indies, advised CNN’s Brian Abel.

“As a result of it’s so sluggish, it’s going to dump a complete lot of rain – catastrophic rain is projected on the nation. There’s a higher alternative for storm surge to push inland and for landslides, particularly as a result of Jamaica has a powerful, hilly inside.”

At 5 mph (8 kmph), Melissa’s sluggish tempo is compounding fears of widespread flooding, infrastructure harm and psychological fatigue. “I believe the time period I wish to use is a psychological marathon,” Taylor stated. “Even earlier than the storm hit, we have been already drained.”

Taylor famous that whereas Jamaica’s infrastructure in city areas like Kingston has improved through the years, rural and casual settlements stay susceptible. “Utilities have carried out their greatest to be resilient. It’s blended throughout the nation,” he defined.

Because the storm looms, Taylor stated individuals are doing what they will: gathering water, charging units and getting ready emergency kits. “We’re doing our greatest to journey this out,” he added.