Hurricane Melissa directly struck the western part of Jamaica on Tuesday, October 28, as a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds nearing 300 kmh. It was the most powerful hurricane to hit Jamaica since weather records began. "Our infrastructure has been severely compromised. The entire Jamaica has felt the brunt of Melissa," said Desmond McKenzie, Jamaica's minister of local government.br br Among the hardest-hit regions was Saint-Elizabeth, a parish in the island's southwest with a population of 150,000 and known as Jamaica's "breadbasket," which was completely submerged. Videos show flooded streets.