# Hurricane Melissa strengthened as it took aim at Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean as a top-level Category 5 storm. The US National Hurricane Center said Melissa was packing maximum winds nearing 260 kilometers per hour. Up to a meter of rainfall were forecast, with deluges expected to bring flash flooding and landslides to Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Melissa has been blamed for at least four deaths in Haiti and the Dominican Republic this week, as its outer bands brought heavy rains and landslides.
Hurricane Melissa strengthens with winds up to 260km/h