KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hurricane Melissa intensified to Category 5 strength Monday as it neared Jamaica with up to 30 inches (76 centimetres) of rain and a life-threatening storm surge.

Melissa is forecast to make landfall on the island Tuesday and cross Cuba and the Bahamas through Wednesday.

Melissa was centred about 130 miles (205 kilometres) south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 315 miles (505 kilometres) south-southwest of Guantanamo, Cuba, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 160 m.p.h. (260 km/h) and was moving west at 3 m.p.h. (6 km/h), the centre said.

Category 5 is the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds exceeding 157 m.p.h. (250 km/h). Melissa is the strongest hurricane in recent history to

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