Hurricane Melissa is closing in on eastern Cuba after unleashing widespread destruction across Jamaica, marking one of the most powerful Atlantic storms ever recorded.
The Category 4 hurricane is expected to make landfall early Wednesday, with forecasters warning of devastating winds, torrential rain, and life-threatening storm surges. Authorities in Cuba have already evacuated more than 700 000 people as the country braces for impact, according to Granma , the island's official newspaper.
Meteorologists from the US National Hurricane Center in Miami confirmed that Melissa was packing sustained winds of 130mph 215km/h on Tuesday night while moving northeast at 9mph 15km/h. The storm's centre was located roughly 110 miles 175 km southwest of Guantanamo, with projections showing it sweeping across eastern Cuba overnight, as per AP News .