New Delhi, Oct. 26 -- Hurricane Melissa is strengthening and is now a major hurricane, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Sunday. It said in a press release that "Melissa [is] rapidly intensifying," and is "expected to be a major hurricane when making landfall in Jamaica."

The NHC said Melissa is a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

It warned that "life-threatening and catastrophic flash flooding and landslides [are] expected in portions of Jamaica and southern Hispaniola through midweek...."

In a post on X, the National Hurricane Center said "...NOAA and Air Force Reserve hurricane hunter aircraft report that Melissa is now a major hurricane...life-threatening and catastrophic flash flooding and ...