PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- Fire Chief and National Disaster Coordinator of the Office of Disaster Management (ODM) Clive Richardson says Category 5 Hurricane Melissa is scheduled to make landfall on the nation of Jamaica.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Jamaica after all preparations to protect life and property have now been completed.
“The coming hours and days will be an extremely difficult period based on our own personal experiences as a nation from Irma and Luis, respectively, eight and 30 years ago.
“I commend the Jamaica Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) as well as the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), who have both been doing an excellent job in preparing Jamaica for the arrival of Melissa.
“Our thoughts and prayers are also with the emergency first responders, the Jamaica Defense Forces, as well as all other stakeholders who will be involved in responding to this national Jamaica emergency,” Richardson said on Monday.
Melissa is the 13th named storm and the fifth hurricane, and the third category 5 hurricane for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.
According to forecasters, for only the second time in recorded history, an Atlantic season has produced three Category 5 hurricanes, the previous year was 2005.
No Category 5 hurricane has made a direct landfall on Jamaica in recorded history.
Richardson added that his thoughts and prayers are also with the people of Haiti and the Dominican Republic which have been receiving impacts from hurricane Melissa rains that have been causing widespread flooding in those two countries.
Visit the website of the Meteorological Department of St. Maarten (MDS): www.meteosxm.com or visit their social media page Facebook.com/sxmweather/ for the latest weather reports.
The remaining 2025 storm names are: Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van, and Wendy.
For more information on hurricane preparedness and to find a list of official resources, please visit the Government website: www.sintmaartengov.org/hurricane where you will be able to download your “Hurricane Season Readiness Guide’ and “Hurricane Tracking Chart” or you can use the following link: https://shorturl.at/VbaxC
Listen to the Government Radio station – SXMGOV 107.9FM - for official information and news before, during and after a hurricane. You can also follow weather related news and information as well as national addresses by the Prime Minister, chairperson of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) by going to @SXMGOV Facebook Page.
The hurricane season runs through November 30.
