Hurricane Melissa has strengthened into a major Category 4 hurricane, threatening catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean. The U.S. National Hurricane Center warns it could intensify to a Category 5 by Sunday night. Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica's southern coast late Monday or Tuesday morning. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness urges residents to seek shelter. The storm has already caused fatalities in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Authorities in Jamaica have activated shelters and closed Kingston's Norman Manley International Airport. Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Hurricane Melissa has strengthened into a major Category 3 hurricane, unleashing torrential rain and threatening to cause catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica. Melissa became a hurricane on Saturday and then intensified rapidly into a major storm. U.S. forecasters have issued a hurricane warning for Jamaica and say Melissa could further strengthen into a Category 4 storm. Melissa was centered about 125 miles (200 kilometers) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica late Saturday night, and about 280 miles (455 kilometers) west-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph), the hurricane center said.

Tropical Storm Melissa is nearly stationary in the central Caribbean, with forecasters warning it could soon strengthen and brush past Jamaica as a powerful hurricane. Catastrophic flooding and landslides are likely in southwest Haiti in the coming days. U.S. forecasters said the storm's slow movement will mean days of exposure to heavy rain and strong winds, which will worsen flooding and other dangers. Melissa had 65 mph winds early Friday. It could strengthen into a hurricane Saturday and a major hurricane later in the weekend. Authorities were opening shelters and making other preparations in Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

More evacuees from coastal Alaska villages inundated by high surf last weekend are arriving in Anchorage. Officials say one of the “most significant” airlifts in Alaska history is underway following a devastating typhoon. Hundreds of people are being flown to the state's largest city by military transport jet, and they are being put up in an arena at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Officials announced the airlifts Wednesday. Some villages on the state’s southwest coast were inundated by the remnants of Typhoon Halong last weekend. Dozens of homes were swept away, some with people still inside. At one point, the storm left about 1,500 residents in makeshift shelters. One person died and two are still missing.

Officials say one of the “most significant” airlifts in Alaska history is underway to evacuate hundreds of people from storm-devastated coastal towns. Officials announced the airlifts Wednesday. Some villages on the state’s southwest coast were inundated by the remnants of Typhoon Halong last weekend. The storm slammed into coastal communities, bringing record-high water levels in some areas. Many homes were swept away, some with people still inside. The storm at one point left about 1,500 residents in makeshift shelters. One person died and two are still missing.