Hurricane Melissa, a catastrophic Category 5 storm, made landfall in Jamaica Tuesday afternoon with devastating 185 mph winds, leaving several Tampa Bay area residents stranded on the Caribbean island.

The National Hurricane Center reported that Melissa struck near New Hope Tuesday afternoon, marking one of the strongest hurricanes to make landfall in the Atlantic Basin.

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For the past three days, Tampa Bay 28 reporter Annette Gutierrez has been following this developing story, talking to locals with loved ones on the island and how people in Tampa are preparing to help those on the island.

Today, she spoke with locals who are in the brunt of the storm, stranded in Jamaica.

Among those trapped on the island are Josephine Merritt, a Polk County resident who traveled to Jamaic

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