Alex Emery
BBC News

Image source, Shaquille Clarke

In the next few posts, we're going to bring you the voices from people in Jamaica who have been sharing what things are like on the island as they prepare for Hurricane Melissa to make landfall. First, we hear from a hotel worker on the island:

Shaquille Clarke, who works at a hotel in Negril, on the west of the island, says the winds are “picking up” where he is and the ocean is getting rough.

Trees are starting to fall, he says, adding: “I am concerned for people who are not moved to a safe space."

Clarke says he's feeling "a little worried", but he's also been through a few hurricanes before. "I'm just hoping for the best," he says.

Hurricane Melissa is now 30 miles (55km) away from Negril, a town located on Jamaica's west, the US National Hurricane Center says.

It's expected to make landfall soon. When it does, Jamaica could get as much as 30 inches of rain (76cm) and winds of 175mph (282km/h).

It's forecast to move towards Cuba on Tuesday evening (00:00 GMT) as a category four storm, before continuing towards the Bahamas on Wednesday - by then, it'll have weakened to a category two.

Earlier, the World Meteorological Organization warned that the storm could bring "catastrophic flash flooding and landslides".

The organisation's tropical cyclone specialist, Anne-Claire Fontan, told a press briefing: "for Jamaica, it will be the storm of the century for sure."

Image source, Reuters

It's hard to offer practical advice for residents who are stuck in a category five storm, Jamaican officials said earlier, but there are essential things residents can do while they still have time.

Richard Thompson, acting general of Jamaica's Office of Disaster Preparedness, gave his tips:

• Bring items from outside the home inside, he said, adding that a lot of those items could become "missiles" in high winds
• Secure your animals, he added
• If you are inside, stay away from the outer walls of your home
• Stay downstairs if you have a two storey house
• Get into a shelter now if you can. Search and rescue teams are out there, but "we can't do search and rescue in the height of a system", he said
• Keep away from the coastline, ravines and low-lying areas, he said, reiterating calls that have been repeated all day

Gabriela Pomeroy
Live reporter

I have spoken by phone to Kabien, who runs a beauty salon in Santa Cruz in St Elizabeth, where Hurricane Melissa is expected to make landfall and residents have been warned to take shelter.

But she tells me she cannot make it to a shelter because it is too far away and she feels now "it is too dangerous to leave the house".

As we spoke, I could hear the wind in the background and the panic in her voice.

"There is water coming in through the roof of my house," she says. "I am not okay."

She is home with her husband and three young children - all of whom are "very, very scared".

"The doors are being blown off by the wind - I am trying to use my own manpower to stop the wind blowing in the door. The wind is pushing the front door open."

Image source, Reuters

We have recently finished hearing from Jamaica's National Emergency Operation Centre, which will be their last briefing until Hurricane Melissa passes.

Let's recap some of the key points covered in the press conference:

• The hurricane is still some distance away, but is speeding up. The eye of the storm is expected to make landfall at around midday local time (17:00 GMT)
• The storm is expected to be category five when it hits land, before weakening to category four as it crosses the island
• A storm surge is expected to hit certain bays and inlets, rising to 13ft (4m) in some areas - the equivalent of around two storeys
• Widespread power cuts are already impacting the island, with more than 200,000 without electricity. Most hospitals still have a supply, but not all
• Emergency relief flights could begin as early as Thursday - but authorities repeatedly stressed that the window to double down on safety measures is closing. "Don't bet against Melissa," warned minister Desmond McKenzie, "it is a bet we can't win"

Officials are taking questions from gathered reporters.

Evan Thompson is asked what conditions Jamaicans can expect from the eye of the hurricane.

He explains that the eye itself is a calm area in the centre of the storm where "it'll appear as if it's all done".

It extends a few miles in diameter, where there'll be "very little cloud cover and very little wind".

But just before the eye is the eye wall, where Thompson says "you will have the most intense wind speeds and the most torrential downpours".

After the eye, it will come back once again with winds coming from the opposite direction. The eye wall winds could reach about 185 miles per hour, he says.

"You have to prepare yourself for that," he says.

He also warns citizens to watch out for tornadoes which can be spawned during hurricanes, and says it could be a few days before the weather clears over the island.

As she brings the news conference to a close, Education Secretary Dana Morris Dixon urges Jamaicans to stay safe and says the gathered officials must leave to assess the storm as "we are already seeing flooding in St Elizabeth".

This news conference from Jamaican authorities on Hurricane Melissa has ended. This will be their last briefing until the storm passes We will continue to bring you updates as the hurricane approaches landfall, so stick with us.

Jamaica's Minister of Local Government, Desmond McKenzie, has just given an update on the disaster response taking place on the island.

He says in total, there are almost 6,000 in shelters in place. Those in St Elizabeth and Westmoreland - where Hurricane Melissa is expected to make landfall - should take emergency shelter.

This is the last briefing authorities will be able to give, he says, but there is still a small window of opportunity to double down on safety measures and get to a shelter.

Addressing the nation directly, he then says: "this is not the time to be brave."

He concludes his comments with a stark warning: "don't bet against Melissa - it is a bet we can't win."

Image source, Jamaica Information Services

Vaz says plans are already being made to rebuild affected areas after the storm.

He echoes other Jamaican authorities, who have been warning to take this storm seriously - especially those who live in low-lying areas that will be worst hit.

"You have but a few hours," he says. "Seek to go to higher ground. Protect yourself and be smart."

He then ends his remarks.

Minster Daryl Vaz now says emergency relief flights could begin as early as this Thursday.

The impact on Norman Manley International Airport - the second largest airport on the island - is not expected to be extensive, Vaz says.

However, there could be a "potentially disabling impact" on Jamaica's Sangster International Airport. Hurricane Melissa is likely to go through the north-western airport.

Ian Fleming International Airport is being considered as part of "contingency planning" whilst Sangster is closed, he says.

The electricity grid has already been impacted by hurricane conditions, which has caused several power outages across Jamaica, says Daryl Vaz, who is continuing to speak to reporters.

Critical high voltage substations, transmissions and distribution lines across the island have been forced out of service, the energy and transport minister says.

Around 240,000 customers are without power, Vaz explains, meaning that as many as 35% of customers (businesses or homes) are without power.

The majority of hospitals continue to be supplied with power, Vaz says, except those in Manchester and St Elizabeth, but impacted hospitals in those areas are operating on generator power.

"There's no plan at this point to shut down the grid," he adds.

He urges people to stay safe and remain cautious. Moving on to telecoms, Vaz says that for Digicel, a mobile provider, "26% of mobile networks are offline, predominantly due to the widespread loss of power".

Image source, Jamaica Information Services

Taking questions now, Jamaica's Energy and Transport Minister Daryl Vaz is asked whether the window for making Melissa preparations has now closed.

He says the storm is "very close", but that people may still be able to reinforce their homes, particularly doors.

He also urges people to keep themselves safe and exercise "extreme caution".

The eye of the storm is supposed to make landfall at around midday, he says, reiterating that people should not take any chances outside after 11:00 local time (16:00 GMT).

Continuing to warn residents about the devastating potential impacts, Thompson says the worst is still to come.

"You might be saying that this system does not seem to be packing much of a punch," he says. "The truth is it is still some distance from the coast."

He says that as the storm moves closer, things will get "significantly worse" than what people are experiencing now.

Evan Thompson says Hurricane Melissa is likely to make landfall in Westmoreland or St Elizabeth, on the west coast of Jamaica.

"If you are under the impact of those category five hurricane-force winds, you will be having significant difficulty even with infrastructure," he says.

He tells citizens to expect heavy rainfall and strong winds across the island with most parts seeing at least 12-16 inches (300-400 mm) of rain.

Image source, PBC Jamaica/YouTube

While providing an update on Hurricane Melissa, Thompson - from the Meteorological Service of Jamaica - confirms that the centre of the storm is still some distance away.

But it is speeding up a little, Thompson notes, and it is now moving at around 11km/h (7mph).

It is expected to make its entry on the south-west coastline as a category five storm, before gradually weakening to category four as it crosses the island.

It could potentially weaken to category three as it leaves the island, he says.

We're now hearing from Evan Thompson, from the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, who says Hurricane Melissa is continuing to move towards the south-western coastline of the island.

He says the storm, a category five, continues to move slowly.

But, he adds, the effects are already being felt in the west and south of the country - with high winds and rain in both regions.

You can also follow this update by pressing watch live above.

We can now bring you the latest update from the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), which reports that Hurricane Melissa is now about 45 miles (70km) away from Jamaica.

"This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation," the NHC says, as it cautions people on the island to "take cover now".

It warns that if people fail to "adequately shelter", this could result in serious injury or loss of life.

"To protect yourself from wind, the best thing you can do is put as many walls as possible between you and the outside," it says.

It adds that a room inside - ideally without windows and where you can avoid falling trees - is the safest place you can be while in a building.

It also suggests covering yourself with a mattress or wearing a helmet for added protection, if you have one.

Nick Davis
Reporting from Jamaica

Critical power infrastructure in Kingston is down, and all I can hear is the hum of generators.

We have the internet - but that's being powered by generators as well, so it's just a matter of time before they run out of juice.

We're waiting to hear when the storm will officially hit here in Kingston, but we won't be able to find out immediately because communications are failing.

People are using satellite phones to feed information to those dealing with the disaster - but there's great possibility this storm is going to be with us for a long time.

Image source, Reuters

Sakshi Venkatraman
Live reporter

We're continuing to bring you live coverage of Hurricane Melissa, the strongest storm of the year that's set to make landfall in Jamaica in the next few hours.

People living on the Caribbean island have told us how they're preparing to the best of their abilities, but warn they've never experienced a hurricane of this size before.

Here's everything you need to know to get up to speed:

• We're still waiting for Hurricane Melissa to make landfall. When it does, Jamaica could get as much as 30 inches of rain (76cm) and winds of 175mph (282km/h)
• It's a devastating category five storm, which hurricane experts are calling the "storm of the century" for the Caribbean island
• Massive damage is expected after Hurricane Melissa passes through Jamaica, with homes and infrastructure potentially being ripped apart and power lines cut - which could isolate communities
• The government has ordered the evacuation of low-lying areas and has shuttered schools and airports
• Three people have died and 15 others were injured while preparing for the storm
• One British tourist tells the BBC how she and her family are sheltering in their hotel - "it doesn’t feel like it's here, but you know it’s coming," she says
• Our reporter in Jamaica, Nick Davis, says there are strong gusts and rain, but residents are still bracing for the worst of the storm

Jamaica is bracing for the world's strongest storm this year, which is also predicted to be one of the most powerful on record to hit the island.

US meteorologists are warning of "catastrophic and life-threatening" conditions.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall in Kingston, the country's capital, in the next few hours.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, CIRA/NOAA via Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Jason Allen, a correspondent from CBS News, has been speaking to our colleagues on the BBC News Channel about the situation in Kingston, Jamaica's capital.

"We have only seen moderate flooding," he says. There’s been a break in the rain for now, but the worst of the weather is yet to come.

"You could still see much stronger winds, you could see trees come down, power lines come down, power go out," he says.

Allen says not many people have gone to shelters because they want to protect their belongings or think their homes will withstand the hurricane.

The Kingston area may miss out on stronger winds on the west of the island, but he reminds us that "nothing is built to withstand category five winds". Some forecasters have warned Hurricane Melissa could remain a category five - the highest on the scale - when it makes landfall.

CBS News is the BBC's US media partner.