Kingston: Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday afternoon as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (295 kph). The historic hurricane is among the most powerful ever recorded in the Atlantic and the strongest to strike Jamaica since recordkeeping began 174 years ago.

According to forecasters, Melissa came ashore in southwestern Jamaica near New Hope and is expected to move diagonally across the island before exiting near St. Ann parish in the north and later heading toward Cuba.

Early reports indicated widespread destruction, including landslides, fallen trees, and extensive power outages. Officials cautioned that recovery and damage assessment efforts would take time due to the scale of devastation.

“There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5,” Prime Minister Andrew Holness said before landfall. “The question now is the speed of recovery. That’s the challenge.”

Jamaica’s Meteorological Service confirmed that Melissa is the strongest hurricane to ever hit the island since official weather records began in 1851.

With inputs from AP