As Jamaica bravely begins the road to recovery from the most powerful hurricane to have ever struck this territory, The Bahamas is now bracing for its arrival today.
Hurricane Melissa—although it has significantly weakened from the 185 miles per hour winds with which it struck Jamaica only yesterday then Cuba soon afterwards—is now making its way on a northeasterly trajectory towards Central and Southeast Bahamas—where it is expected to make its third landfall.
Alert #23 issued today from the Disaster Risk Management Authority (DRM Authority) in the Bahamas warned that “Melissa is now off the east coast of Cuba and moving into the Southeast Bahamas, bringing damaging winds, heavy rain, flooding, and dangerous storm surge.”
The official alert said that a Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Central & Southeast Bahamas, while a Tropical Storm Warning is in place for the Turks & Caicos Islands, which will likely be impacted by Melissa’s less powerful bands.
“Strongest impacts expected across Ragged Island, Long Island, Acklins, Crooked Island, Rum Cay, Samana Cay & San Salvador this afternoon as the core passes near the Crooked Island Passage,” the alert added.
