By Belize Live News Staff: A BBC interview with meteorologist and storm chaser Matthew Cappucci has raised alarm over Hurricane Melissa, which he says will be the strongest hurricane ever recorded to hit Jamaica.
Cappucci, speaking from the storm tracking center, compared Melissa to Hurricane Gilbert of 1988, which struck Jamaica as a Category 3 hurricane and left dozens dead.
“Melissa could be an order of magnitude more significant,” he said, noting that hurricane strength increases exponentially, not gradually.
With sustained winds of 175 mph and pressure levels historically low, Hurricane Melissa is expected to bring catastrophic winds, flooding, and storm surge.
“Nobody in Jamaica has lived through anything comparable to what they’re going to get,” Cappucci warned.
He emphasized how rare it is for a Category 5 hurricane to make landfall anywhere on Earth.
“It is extremely rare to get a Category 5 with impact anywhere on Earth,” Cappucci added.
Authorities in Jamaica remain on maximum alert, with thousands in shelters and officials warning of massive infrastructure damage once the hurricane reaches its closest point to the island.
