Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm with wind speeds of up to 185 miles per hour.

Hurricane Melissa was hitting eastern Cuba hard early Wednesday after slamming Jamaica as a Category 5 storm. Maps show its forecast path.

Hurricane Melissa is slamming eastern Cuba on Wednesday morning, Oct. 29, after hammering Jamaica on Tuesday and causing widespread damage.

Paula Robinson, who lives in Preston, has eleven members of her family living in Jamaica, including her mum, who she last spoke to on Monday. She said her mum told her "'if I never hear your voice again, just know I love you". "I told her you are going to hear my voice again!'"

One of whom is Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank. Blank's foundation announced that it would make a generous donation to aid relief efforts for those in need, as the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation revealed it would send $2.5 million in relief to those affected by the hurricane in and around Jamaica.

Hurricane Melissa is so severe that even hurricane tracking weather planes have been forced to avoid the storm.

St Elizabeth and Montego Bay are among the worst impacted places in Jamaica, and drone footage shows streets under water. From Jamaica, the storm travelled north to Cuba, bringing with it 115mph (185kph) winds and heavy rain.

Richard Vernon, the mayor of Montego Bay, spoke about the impact of Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica and the destruction the storm left behind. Vernon said the priority is to ensure that there are no casualties or loss of life in the Montego Bay area.