Hurricane Melissa strengthens to category 4 as evacuations ordered in Jamaica’s capital

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Natricia Duncan in Kingston , Anthony Lugg in Port Royal and agenciesOctober 26, 2025 at 03:12 PM

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Hurricane Melissa intensified to a category 4 storm and threatens catastrophic conditions in the northern Caribbean, prompting Jamaica's government to order mandatory evacuations for vulnerable areas, including Kingston. With maximum sustained winds of 145mph, the hurricane could potentially escalate to a category 5 with winds exceeding 157mph. The US National Hurricane Centre predicts up to 30 inches of rain on Jamaica and southern Hispaniola. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness ordered evacuations for seven areas, including Port Royal in Kingston, urging residents to take protective measures seriously. Both international airports are closed, and 881 shelters have been activated across the country.

Key Topics & Entities

Hispaniola 30% Cuba 40% US National Hurricane Centre ×250% Desmond McKenzie 60% Andrew Holness ×270% Kingston ×480% Jamaica ×790% Hurricane Melissa ×8100%

Keywords

hurricane melissa 100% category 4 hurricane 90% jamaica 80% mandatory evacuations 70% catastrophic winds and rain 60% kingston 60% international airports closed 50% saffir-simpson hurricane wind scale 50% power and communication outages 40% extensive damage to infrastructure 40%