By DÁNICA COTO and JOHN MYERS JR., Associated Press

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Hurricane Melissa intensified to Category 5 strength Monday as it neared Jamaica, where forecasters said it would unleash catastrophic flooding, multiple landslides and extensive infrastructure damage.

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

Early Monday, Melissa was centered about 135 miles southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 320 miles southwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 160 mph and was moving west at 3 mph, the center said.

Category 5 is the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds exceeding 157 mph. Melissa is the strongest hurr

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