Category five hurricane Melissa to hit Caribbean islands

Jamaica is set to endure one of the world’s strongest storms this year which is expected make landfall on Tuesday.

US meteorologists and the National Hurricane Center have warned of “catastrophic and life-threatening” conditions, which have already claimed three storm-related deaths on the Caribbean island with four more in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Wind gust speeds are currently sustained at 175mph (282km/h), with rainfall to equal 15-30 inches.

Experts have also warned that hurricane Melissa’s slow pace may lead to prolonged torrential rain in various area, with an increasing risk of flooding and landslides.

Meteorologist Matthew Cappucci warned that the category five hurricane is an extremely rare occurrence and that Melissa "could be an order of magnitude more significant, since hurricane strength doesn't go up linearly, it goes up exponentially”.

Jamaican prime minister, Andrew Holness, has ordered for a mandatory evacuation of the low lying areas ahead of the landfall. The public is urged to take shelter, as the country’s information minister Dana Morris Dixon stated that Jamaica currently has 881 active shelters, although some families have expressed reluctance to leave their homes.

The two international airports, Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston and Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, have also closed down, suspending all operations over the weekend.

"This is a frightening situation for Jamaica," the country's climate minister says, as 70% of the population lives within 5km of the sea.