Hurricane Melissa strengthened Monday as it took aim at Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean as a top-level Category 5 storm, with forecasters predicting catastrophic flooding and urging residents to seek shelter immediately.

Melissa has been blamed for at least four deaths in Haiti and the Dominican Republic this week, as its outer bands brought heavy rains and landslides.

The storm is moving at a worryingly slow pace, meaning areas in its path could see punishing conditions for far longer than a hurricane that passes by more quickly.

The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Melissa was packing maximum winds nearing 160 miles (260 kilometers) per hour.

Up to 40 inches (about a meter) of rainfall were forecast, with deluges expected to bring flash flooding and landslides to Jama

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