JAMAICA (WABC) — Melissa is forecasted to be the worst storm in Jamaica’s history, with maximum sustained winds of up to 175 mph.
The hurricane made landfall Tuesday afternoon as a Category 5 storm.
At this time, at least seven people have died, according to the Associated Press, and three people have died in Jamaica
The Ministry of Health and Wellness of Jamaica confirmed some of the deaths occurred while cutting down trees and from electrocution.
We know there have also been 15 injuries involving falling off heights.
Three people have died in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing.
Melissa is set to bring catastrophic winds, rain, flooding and storm surge to Jamaica, where residents and tourists are sheltering in place.
RELATED | Jamaicans in Brooklyn pray for safety of relatives impacted by Melissa
Area residents are also going to be affected by this hurricane.
Long Island native Winthrop Wellington is trying to protect his family-owned beach resort and the 30 hotel guests and staff in Negril, Jamaica. Wellington says he doesn’t know if the resort will have enough water and he’s worried about long power outages and the condition of local roads.
“Once landfall is made, everybody is going to stay exactly where they are. I’m expecting this to be an extremely violent experience,” Wellington said.
Brooklyn native Kenya Wagstaff recently moved to Jamaica and she’s staying at Wellington’s resort.
Wagstaff says Melissa will be her first hurricane.
“I feel like yeah, this is a real situation that I’m about to be experiencing and I don’t want to do it without some support, so here I am,” Wagstaff told Eyewitness News.
Michelle Charlesworth and ABC News’ Ike Ejiochi have the latest.
Meanwhile, Melissa was giving Tamara Woodhouse a run for her money at her oceanfront Airbnb.
She lives in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, and went to Jamaica for vacation, unaware the monster storm was brewing and headed straight for Jamaica.
“The roof is leaking, there’s heavy wind and everything is shaking inside the house. I have to stay calm because I don’t want my family to worry,” Woodhouse said.
But there’s reason to worry. Woodhouse is in western Jamaica, where the storm made landfall on Tuesday.
Kemberly Richardson reports from the Bronx.
Officials say cleanup will not begin until it’s safe.
Dr. Trevor Dixon is an emergency room physician at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx.
He’s the founder of Jah Jah Foundation, which stands for Jamaicans Abroad Helping Jamaicans at Home.
During past disasters, his group sent supplies to the island and is ready to step up again.
“The first 24 to 48 hours there will be a lot of camaraderie, people are going to help each other but as the communication cuts off and as water supply cuts off, people will be more frustrated,” Dr. Dixon said.
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