Hurricane Melissa on Monday intensified into a Category 5 storm, the most powerful of hurricanes, while continuing to drop torrents of “catastrophic” rain across the Caribbean, the

The most powerful storm to hit the region since 1988 could inundate some areas of eastern Jamaica with up to 40 inches of rain. The arrival of its core has been delayed by stalling.

People are evacuated to higher ground as US meteorologists warn of "catastrophic" conditions from the category five storm.

Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica early Tuesday, breaking records as the most powerful storm ever to hit the island. The most powerful before now was Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, which recorded winds of 130mph.

Hurricane Melissa is edging towards Jamaica and set to make landfall as a historic Category 5 storm, with winds of over 160 mph. Jamaica is bracing for what the National Hurricane Center said would be catastrophic flash flooding and landslides caused by up to 40 inches of rain in some places. The storm is due to make landfall early Tuesday.

Melissa, a strong Category 5 hurricane, neared landfall on the Caribbean island nation of Jamaica early Tuesday, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis.

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a Category 5 storm Monday as it drew closer to Jamaica, where forecasters said it would unleash catastrophic flooding, landslides and widespread damage. It would be the strongest hurricane to hit the island since record-keeping began in 1851.

As an island country in the Caribbean Sea, hurricanes aren’t new in Jamaica. Hurricanes hovering over the island while continuously dumping rain and blasting Category 4 or 5 winds, however, are a different brand.

At least three people are dead in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa, the world's strongest storm so far this year, bears down on the Caribbean island nation, officials said.