Southwestern Jamaica has taken a direct hit from Hurricane Melissa. Many areas of the island remain cut off by flooding. The number of deaths, now at seven, but that is expected to rise.
The National Hurricane Center sharing in its 5am advisory:
Moving: NE at 12 mph
Min pressure: 960 mb
Max sustained: 115 mph
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* Cuban provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo,
Holguin, and Las Tunas
* Southeastern and Central Bahamas
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* Bermuda
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Jamaica
* Haiti
* Cuban province of Camaguey
* Turks and Caicos Islands
1 of 1 Photo: RICARDO MAKYN / AFP / Getty Images
Jamaica's Prime Minister declaring the entire island a disaster area. Hurricane Melissa making landfall as a category 5 - one of the most powerful on record winds up to 185 miles-per hour destroying homes and schools. Residents and 25-thousand tourists riding out the worst of it. In Black River - the local hospital battered. Sheet metal and power lines blocking the exit, several families trapped. Reports of roofs flying off homes.
Melissa is expected to make landfall soon along the southern coast of eastern Cuba as an extremely dangerous major Category 3 hurricane.