JAMAICA (WABC) — Melissa is forecasted to be the worst storm in Jamaica’s history, with maximum sustained winds of up to 175 mph.<\/p>\n
The hurricane made landfall Tuesday afternoon as a Category 5 storm.<\/p>\n
At this time, at least seven people have died, according to the Associated Press, and three people have died in Jamaica<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Health and Wellness of Jamaica confirmed some of the deaths occurred while cutting down trees and from electrocution.<\/p>\n
We know there have also been 15 injuries involving falling off heights.<\/p>\n
Three people have died in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic, where another person remains missing.<\/p>\n
Melissa is set to bring catastrophic winds, rain, flooding and storm surge to Jamaica, where residents and tourists are sheltering in place.<\/p>\n
RELATED | Jamaicans in Brooklyn pray for safety of relatives impacted by Melissa<\/a><\/p>\n Area residents are also going to be affected by this hurricane.<\/p>\n Long Island native Winthrop Wellington is trying to protect his family-owned beach resort and the 30 hotel guests and staff<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n Brooklyn native Kenya Wagstaff recently moved to Jamaica and she’s staying at Wellington’s resort.<\/p>\n Wagstaff says Melissa will be her first hurricane.<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n Michelle Charlesworth and ABC News’ Ike Ejiochi have the latest.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Melissa was giving Tamara Woodhouse a run for her money at her oceanfront Airbnb.<\/p>\n She lives in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, and went to Jamaica for vacation, unaware the monster storm was brewing and headed straight for Jamaica.<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n But there’s reason to worry. Woodhouse is in western Jamaica, where the storm made landfall on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Kemberly Richardson reports from the Bronx.<\/p>\n Officials say cleanup will not begin until it’s safe.<\/p>\n Dr. Trevor Dixon is an emergency room physician at Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx.<\/p>\n He’s the founder of Jah Jah Foundation, which stands for Jamaicans Abroad Helping Jamaicans at Home.<\/p>\n During past disasters, his group sent supplies to the island and is ready to step up again.<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n ———-<\/p>\n * Get Eyewitness News Delivered<\/a> <\/p>\n * Follow us on YouTube<\/a> <\/p>\n * More local news<\/a><\/p>\n * Send us a news tip<\/a><\/p>\n