Villagers in Jamaica refuse to evacuate as Hurricane Melissa bears down

Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a category 4 storm yesterday, threatening days of catastrophic winds and rain in the northern Caribbean, but some residents in vulnerable areas of Jamaica were refusing to evacuate.

- Natricia Duncan Kingston Anthony Lugg Port Royal

Officials urged those in low-lying and flood-prone areas to seek refuge in one of the more than 650 shelters on the island as Melissa climbed up the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, with the possibility of becoming a category 5 storm last night.

"I urge Jamaicans to take this weather threat seriously," said Jamaica's prime minister, Andrew Holness. "Take all measures to protect yourself." Melissa was centred about 120 miles south-southeast of the Jamaican capital, Kingston, and about 280 miles south-southwest of Guantanamo, Cuba, yesterday morning.

It had maximum sustained wind speeds of 140mph and was moving west at 5mph, according to the US National Hurricane Center. It was expected to drop up to 760mm (30in) of rain on Jamaica and southern Hispaniola Haiti and the Dominican Republic - with some areas receiving as much as 1,010mm.