U.S. forecasters issued a hurricane warning for Jamaica Saturday as Storm Melissa reached hurricane strength, threatening catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean.

A hurricane warning means winds of at least 74 mph (119 kph) are expected in the area within 36 hours.

Melissa is ”likely starting to rapidly intensify and expected to become a major hurricane tomorrow," the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Saturday afternoon as Melissa had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph).

The slow-moving storm was expected to drop torrential rain, up to 25 inches (64 centimeters), on Jamaica, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

A similar forecast was issued for the southern regions of Haiti and the Dominican Republic through Monday.

Life-threatening flooding and landslides were possible, with up to 35 inches (89 centimeters) of catastrophic rain across the Tiburon peninsula in southwestern Haiti, the center said.

The erratic and slow-moving storm has killed at least three people in Haiti and a fourth person in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing.

In Les Cayes, Haiti, residents said the effects of Hurricane Melissa were catastrophic.

“The sea took our house. We have no place to stay. We came to the high school, but we have nothing to give the children to eat. We ask for help and support. We are not asking for much.”, said the woman who didn’t want to provide her name.

Other people in this area are already in a shelter.

“I would like to move, but I have no place to go. I packed everything. I don’t have the means to go.", said Paulinise Aristil.

The storm has damaged nearly 200 homes in the Dominican Republic and knocked out water supply systems, affecting more than half a million customers. It also downed trees and traffic lights, unleashed a couple of small landslides and left more than two dozen communities isolated by floodwaters.

Authorities in Jamaica said on Saturday that the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston will be closed at 8 p.m. local time.

It did not say whether it will close the Sangster airport in Montego Bay, on the western side of the island.

More than 650 shelters were activated in Jamaica. Officials said warehouses across the island were well-stocked and thousands of food packages prepositioned for quick distribution if needed.

“So I would urge all my fellow citizens, everyone who is now feeling nervous, anxious, uncertain, that now is the time to be prepared.” said Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

The Cuban government on Saturday afternoon issued a hurricane watch for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo and Holguin.

According to images of Cuban official television, clean-up work is being carried out and fumigation of homes to prevent the spread of the epidemic outbreaks.

AP Video shot by Jordany Junior Verdieu, Ralph Simon, Martín Adames, and Matías Delacroix

Produced by Milexsy Durán