Jamaica braces as Tropical Storm Melissa nears

ByEnigma 808

The Meteorological Service of Jamaica has issued a Tropical Storm Warning and a Hurricane Watch as Tropical Storm Melissa moves slowly through the central Caribbean. At 4 a.m. Thursday, the storm’s center sat about 353 kilometers south-southeast of Morant Point, crawling west at 6 km/h with sustained winds of 85 km/h. Forecasters warn it could become a hurricane by late Friday or over the weekend.

Eastern and southern parishes will feel tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rain later today, with conditions spreading islandwide through the weekend. Marine operators have been told to stay in port and finish safety preparations immediately.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management has fully activated its response systems. Director General Richard Thompson said monitoring began on October 16, and parish coordinators were placed on standby over the weekend. A national planning meeting on Tuesday included representatives from the military, police, fire services, municipal leaders, and groups such as the Red Cross and UNDP to review infrastructure, humanitarian plans, and communication protocols.

Thompson urged citizens to stay alert and keep preparing as planning meetings continue through the weekend to maintain national readiness.

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    Besides writing and being a content creator, Enigma 808 sometimes likes to watch paint dry on walls, listening to ASMR while timing snails racing. Such is life.