Hurricane Melissa is slamming eastern Cuba on Wednesday morning, Oct. 29, after hammering Jamaica on Tuesday and causing widespread damage.

Category 5 Hurricane Melissa has made landfall already in Jamaica and Cuba, as one of the strongest hurricanes to ever make landfall.

Richard Vernon, the mayor of Montego Bay, spoke about the impact of Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica and the destruction the storm left behind. Vernon said the priority is to ensure that there are no casualties or loss of life in the Montego Bay area.

CORE, which has previous experience responding to storms in the Caribbean, has deployed air cargo ships of hygiene kits, tarps and essential relief supplies to Jamaica and is preparing to send resources to Haiti. The organization is accepting donations here.

Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons, has pledged an initial $1.5 million through his foundation to aid Hurricane Melissa relief efforts across Jamaica and the Caribbean.

The Caribbean storm — among the most powerful in history, with 185 mph winds — is expected to bring flash-flooding and landslides as it slowly moves across the island and heads north toward Cuba.

The eyewall’s destructive winds may cause total structural failure, particularly in higher elevations, leading to widespread infrastructural damage, prolonged power and communication outages, and isolated communities.

Hurricane Melissa has made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane -- one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin.