an hour agoAfter the disasters in Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa strikes Cuba
Periskopi(7 months ago)
(7 months ago)Hurricane Melissa has hit Cuba on Wednesday, hours after causing disaster in nearby Jamaica, while this was the most powerful storm that hit this island in the Caribbean. Melissa hit the southern and eastern coasts of Cuba with winds reaching up to 195 miles per hour, the American National Centre for hurricanes said. “Devastating storms, floods and [...]
The devastating storm, floods, and landslides, as well as powerful hurricane winds are continuing today”, the centre said. About 735 thousand people were evacuated from their homes in eastern Cuba as the storm approached, authorities said. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel warned on Tuesday that the storm could cause serious damage “and urged people to comply with evacuation orders.
Hurricane Melissa's power has weakened, but it continues to be a dangerous storm of category three after striking Jamaica with powerful winds. When he hit Jamaica, the storm was classified in category five. The storm has caused floods in Jamaica and has left over 500 thousand people without electricity.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the storm has damaged hospitals, residential homes and businesses, and has caused damage to road infrastructure.
Holdes said the government had not yet received reports of any deaths confirmed by the storm, but given the hurricane's power and extent of damage, “expectations that there may be loss of life”. Meteorologists from AccuWather have said that Melissa is the third most powerful hurricane to hit the Caribbean after Wilmas in 2005 and Gilber in 1988, which was the last major storm that hit Jamaica directly.
Scientists say hurricanes are growing faster and are becoming more frequent as a result of the warming of ocean waters caused by greenhouse gases. Many Caribbean leaders have urged rich, larger - polluting countries to offer reparations in the form of aiding or easing debt for tropical islands. Hurricane Melissa's winds weakened as the storm passed over the mountains of Jamaica, striking vulnerable mountain communities to landslides and floods.
Local media reported at least three deaths in Jamaica during storm preparations. “Our country has been destroyed by Hurricane Melissa, but we will rebuild it and do it better than before,”, Prime Minister Holmes said Wednesday morning.
In the Bahamas, which is expected to be hit by Melissa after Cuba, the government has ordered the evacuation of residents from the southern parts of the archipelago. Report REL, broadcast Periscope
