Hurricane Melissa barreled toward eastern Cuba, where it was expected to make landfall as a major storm early Wednesday after pummeling Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. Authorities in Cuba had evacuated more than 700,000 people, and forecasters said the Category 4 storm would unleash catastrophic damage in Santiago de Cuba and nearby areas. The storm was expected to generate a storm surge of up to 12 feet and drop up to 20 inches of rain in places. As Cuba prepared for the storm, officials in Jamaica prepared to fan out to assess the damage.

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A street vendor uses an umbrella to shelter from the sun on a unseasonably hot day Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

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People walk along a road during the passing of Hurricane Melissa in Rocky Point, Jamaica, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

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A man walks in the rain before the arrival of Hurricane Melissa in Canizo, a village in Santiago de Cuba, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramón Espinosa)

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A girl looks out a rain-splattered bus window as she is evacuated before the arrival of Hurricane Melissa in Canizo, a community in Santiago de Cuba, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ramón Espinosa)