Melissa has arrived in Jamaica as a category 5 hurricane and has left many of its inhabitants without electricity

Hurricane Melissa  has landed in Jamaica on Tuesday, becoming a five-categorycyclone withwinds, torrential rains and seafood at 295 km/h and the risk of flooding and disasters is high.

It has entered Jamaica from the southwest of the island, leaving at the moment about240,000 inhabitants  , 35% of the island's customers, power without power.

International meteorological services have warned that Melissa,one ofthe most devastating hurricanes  in recent years, could reach . For the time being, it is the strongest cyclone in the Atlantic Ocean this season and the third on the Saffir-Simpson scale to reach level 5.

This is the first season since 2005 in which three or more major hurricanes have been produced in the Atlantic Ocean, with four cyclones in that category, including Katrina, which left more than 1,800 dead.

The Jamaican authorities have asked the populationto remain in safe shelters  because the winds could cause "total structural defects" and the rains could cause flooding.

Minister Desmond McKenzie has said, "It's not time to be brave." He's asking you not to fight the cyclone because "we can't win that bet."

A "very dangerous" hurricane

The U.S. Hurricane Center has described Melissa as a "very dangerous" hurricane.

Theeye of the hurricane  hasoneof the lowest recorded pressions in recent years , 892 millibars. The lower the pressure, the higher the wind acceleration and the higher the speed and intensity of the cyclone.

In addition, Melissa is progressing slowly , currently at a speed of 7 kilometres per hour, so experts warn that it will leave large amounts of rain.

Since its founding on Tuesday last week, it has caused at least threedeaths in Jamaica, three in Haiti, two in Panama and one in the Dominican Republic.

After passing through Jamaica, it is expected to cross south-east Cuba on Wednesday and arrive in the Bahamas on Thursday.