Hurricane Melissa reached Category 5 in the Caribbean

Hurricane Melissa reached Category 5 on Monday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said, warning of possible “catastrophic flooding” on several Caribbean islands and noting the storm could intensify further as it moves toward Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas.

"Melissa is now a Category 5 hurricane," the agency wrote in its latest advisory. "Destructive winds, Cyclonic storm surge and catastrophic flooding will worsen in Jamaica throughout the day and overnight."

Melissa is expected to reach maximum winds of 160 mph (257 km/h), which would make it the strongest of the five hurricanes on record to hit Jamaica directly. The most recent, and so far the most powerful, was Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, which brought gusts of 130 mph.

The hurricane advances slowly

The storm is moving at a disturbingly slow pace, which means that areas in its path may experience adverse conditions for much longer.

"This possibility of extreme rainfall, because of the slow movement, is going to cause a catastrophe here in Jamaica," said Jamie Rhome, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center, during a webcast press conference.

A destructive passage through the Caribbean

At least four people were killed this week by the hurricane in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where it caused heavy rains and landslides.

Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, running from early June through late November.