Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest storms ever to hit the Caribbean, made landfall in southern Jamaica on Tuesday. The Category 5 storm brought winds up to 300 kmph, heavy rain, and massive flooding. Prime Minister Andrew Holness warned of “catastrophic damage” and urged residents to stay indoors. Power outages and communication failures have hit large parts of the island, and more than 800 shelters have been opened. At least three people have died in Jamaica, and four others were killed in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Rescue operations will begin once conditions improve. (PC: BBC)

Severe Cyclone Montha made landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday night, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The storm is moving north-northwest with wind speeds of 90–100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph. Heavy to very heavy rain is expected in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, south Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. The government has banned vehicle movement in seven districts and warned of crop damage in low-lying areas. Over 3.6 crore alert messages were sent to residents, and rescue teams, earthmovers, and chainsaws have been deployed. Nellore district has so far recorded the highest rainfall in the state. (PC: NDTV)

Hurricane Melissa, the world’s strongest storm this year, is closing in on Jamaica with winds up to 175 mph. The Category 5 storm could cause “catastrophic and life-threatening” damage, officials warn. Thousands have been evacuated, but many remain in their homes. Heavy rain and strong winds are already lashing the capital, Kingston. The government expects major damage to power lines, roads, and buildings. Three people have died while preparing for the storm. Forecasters say Melissa could be the strongest hurricane ever to hit Jamaica, bringing up to 30 inches of rain and dangerous storm surges.

All 32 flights from Visakhapatnam Airport cancelled Tuesday as Cyclone Montha approaches landfall, while Vijayawada Airport scrapped 16 flights. South Central Railway cancelled 120 trains across October 27-28. Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi confirmed 11,396 people evacuated to 2,048 disaster relief centers across eight southern districts—Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, and Kandhamal. Of 2,693 identified pregnant women, 1,871 shifted to hospitals with remaining 822 expected by evening. Odisha deployed 153 rescue teams including 6,000+ personnel from NDRF, ODRAF, and Fire Services. Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari confirmed Indian Coast Guard verified no vessels remain in Bay of Bengal's impact zone.

Cyclone Montha is set to make landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday evening. The India Meteorological Department said the storm, with wind speeds of 90–100 kmph and gusts up to 110 kmph, is moving north-northwest. Heavy rain has already hit parts of southern Odisha and coastal Andhra. The government has evacuated people from low-lying and hilly areas and deployed over 5,000 rescue personnel. A red alert has been issued in 19 districts, while trains and flights have been cancelled. The IMD warned of rough sea conditions and urged people to stay indoors. (PC: The Indian Express)

Delhi conducted its first full-scale cloud seeding trial Tuesday to combat post-Diwali smog, with IIT Kanpur's modified Cessna-206H releasing silver iodide and sodium chloride flares over northern Delhi areas including Khekra, Burari, and Mayur Vihar. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said eight flares were deployed during the 30-minute operation, with artificial rain expected within 15 minutes to 4 hours if successful. Delhi's AQI stood at 305 (very poor category), with 27 of 38 monitoring stations reporting similar readings. The Rs 3.21 crore project, approved in May for five trials, faced multiple weather-related delays. Last week's test flight failed due to insufficient atmospheric moisture below 20%.

Hurricane Melissa intensified into a Category 5 storm with 175mph winds, becoming potentially the strongest hurricane to hit Jamaica since 1851 record-keeping began. Three storm-related deaths occurred in Jamaica during preparations, bringing total fatalities across Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica to seven, with over 10 injured. The US National Hurricane Center forecasts landfall Tuesday morning on Jamaica's southern coast, threatening catastrophic flooding with up to 40 inches of rain in some areas and life-threatening storm surge. After Jamaica, Melissa will move toward Cuba Tuesday night (bringing 300mm rain) and southeastern Bahamas by Wednesday. Cuba issued hurricane watches for Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, and Holguin provinces.

Cyclone Montha intensifies toward Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, prompting highest alert levels and mass evacuations. Kakinada Port received Great Danger Signal No. 10, the maximum cyclone warning as landfall approaches Tuesday. Waves between 2-4.7 meters threaten the Nellore-Srikakulam coastline, with extremely heavy rainfall forecast October 27-29. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan reviewed preparations from RTGS command center. In Odisha, CM Mohan Charan Majhi confirmed 11,396 people evacuated to 2,000+ disaster relief centers across eight southern districts, targeting "zero casualties." Schools and anganwadis closed until October 30 in nine districts, with 153 rescue teams including NDRF and ODRAF deployed. Tourist access restricted statewide.

A US Air Force crew, known as “Hurricane Hunters,” flew into the eye of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa to collect data. Their stunning video showed the rare “stadium effect,” where clouds curve outward, creating a calm eye. Melissa is set to make landfall in Jamaica as the strongest storm since records began in 1851. At least six people have died across Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. Winds of over 250 km/h and a 13-foot storm surge threaten Kingston. Power outages and landslides are reported. The storm will move toward Cuba and the Bahamas later tonight.

Cyclone Montha has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and is expected to make landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast by tonight. Heavy rain and strong winds are lashing parts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu. Over 22 NDRF teams and 5,000 rescue workers have been deployed for relief operations. Several flights and trains have been cancelled, and thousands of residents have been evacuated from coastal and low-lying areas. Flood alerts have been issued along Tamil Nadu’s Palar River. Officials have advised people to stay indoors and avoid coastal zones as the storm nears landfall. (PC: HT)