The storm hit 75 mph winds to attain hurricane status on Saturday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when its winds reach 74 mph. Melissa is set to become a major hurricane before the end of the weekend.

Hurricane Melissa is making landfall in Jamaica as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, the strongest to hit the island since recordkeeping began 174 years ago.

Several organizations have organized relief efforts after the Caribbean was hit by one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record.

The State Department activated a Caribbean disaster response team following Hurricane Melissa's devastating impact on Jamaica, with teams arriving Thursday to provide aid.

Hurricane Melissa slammed into Jamaica yesterday, leaving a trail of destruction, particularly on the western side of the island. According to preliminary

The record-breaking Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, with sustained winds of 185 mph and gusts of over 200 mph, made landfall in Jamaica on Oct. 28 with 130 mph winds. This marks Melissa the strongest hurricane that has made landfall on the island to date.