In the Bahamas, the largest island of which lies around 400 miles north of Haiti, hurricane conditions are expected to produce life-threatening storm surges in the south-east and centre of the country. Further east, tropical storm conditions and significant storm surges are expected in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

After Melissa moves away from Jamaica, Cuba is next in line for the powerful hurricane’s fury. Landfall is expected very early Wednesday morning, likely a couple hours after midnight, but impacts have already begun.

Cuba’s president, President Miguel Díaz-Canel, warned residents to brace for a “very difficult night” as the island prepared for Hurricane Melissa to make landfall early Wednesday.

Cuba is bracing for Hurricane Melissa as it heads towards Santiago de Cuba, the island’s second-largest city, threatening catastrophic damage at a time the government is already failing to provide the most basic services and thousands are sick because of the rise of mosquito-transmitted diseases and other illnesses linked to poor sanitary conditions.