Friday 24 October 2025 12:44 BST

Streets flooded by rains caused by Tropical Storm Melissa in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (REUTERS)

• Tropical Storm Melissa has caused at least three deaths in Haiti and is forecast to intensify into a major hurricane by the end of the weekend.
• The storm is expected to bring “catastrophic” flash flooding and landslides, with up to 14 inches of rain predicted for Jamaica, southern Haiti and the southern Dominican Republic.
• As of early Friday, Melissa was located southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, with maximum sustained winds of 45mph, moving slowly north.
• Authorities in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic have closed schools and government offices, with the UN preparing emergency shelters in Haiti, due to the severe weather threat.
• Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and the first to form in the Caribbean this year, with forecasters warning of its potential to reach Category 4 status.

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