The most powerful storm to hit the region since 1988 could inundate some areas of eastern Jamaica with up to 40 inches of rain. The arrival of its core has been delayed by stalling.

Hurricane Melissa strengthened into a Category 4 storm as it churned northwest through the Caribbean Sea on Sunday.

A father-of-three has described the "unbearable" moment the centre of Hurricane Melissa passed over his hotel room in Jamaica where his family had barricaded themselves in. The category 5 storm hit the south west of the Caribbean island earlier bringing catastrophic wind speeds of 185 mph (295 km/h) and risks of flash flooding.

Jamaica was declared a disaster area after Melissa made landfall there. Dangerous flooding and storm surge will hit Cuba and the Bahamas on Wednesday.

Melissa is an “extremely dangerous” Category 3 hurricane plowing through Cuba after the storm made a historic landfall in Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history. Follow for live updates.

Jamaicans in the UK have said they are "worried" about their friends and family as Hurricane Melissa makes landfall in the country. Forecasters believe the storm could be the strongest hurricane ever to hit Jamaica,