Jamaica is on high alert as powerful Hurricane Melissa slowly approaches the island.

The category five storm, with sustained winds of 295 km/h, was advancing at 11km/h, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its latest update.

As of Tuesday morning, the hurricane's centre was about 70km southwest of the island.

Hours before the storm, the Jamaican government said it had done all it could to prepare as it warned of catastrophic damage.

The streets in the capital Kingston remained largely empty except for the lone stray dog crossing puddles and a handful of people walking briskly under tree branches waving in a stiff wind.

The hurricane's slow movement is expected to bring extremely heavy rainfall, increasing the risk of storm surges and landslides, particularly in Jamaica's

See Full Page