Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, made landfall in southwestern Jamaica near New Hope on Tuesday, with maximum sustained winds of about 185 mph (295 km/h), according to the US National Hurricane Center. Officials warned of catastrophic damage as the storm, the strongest to hit the island in 174 years brought torrential rain, powerful winds and life-threatening storm surges. According to The New York Times, at least seven people have died across the Caribbean, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic. Authorities have ordered mandatory evacuations and the United Nations weather agency warned of “a catastrophic situation” for the island nation. Hurricane Melissa, packing winds of up to 185 mph (295 kmph), is the strongest storm ever re

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