Emergency water systems and medical teams deployed to Jamaica following Category 5 Hurricane Melissa with additional Samaritan's Purse relief flights planned.

Its intensity at landfall appeared to tie an all-time Atlantic Basin record. But the devastation in Jamaica wasn't all Melissa brought to the Caribbean. Here is our recap of this historic hurricane.

Hurricane Melissa’s exceptional power, endurance and ability to overcome obstacles stunned meteorologists. Here’s what to know.

The most powerful storm to hit the region since 1988 could inundate some areas of eastern Jamaica with up to 40 inches of rain. The arrival of its core has been delayed by stalling.

Texas newlyweds Kasydee and Hunter Bishop are trapped near Montego Bay, Jamaica, as Hurricane Melissa approaches as a Category 5 storm with 175 mph winds.

It also marks the first time in 20 years that three or more Category 5 hurricanes have developed over the Atlantic Basin in one season. The last time was in 2005, when Hurricanes Emily, Katrina, Rita, and Wilma all reached Category 5—breaking a record.

Evan Thompson with the Meteorological Service of Jamaica warned that the impending landfall of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa would cause catastrophic and “life-threatening” damage. Thompson advised seeking shelter in buildings with as many walls as possible to separate them from the outside.

Jamaica is bracing for potentially its strongest storm to ever impact the island, as the slow-moving, major Category 5 hurricane closes in. AccuWeather's Leslie Hudson reports from Lake County, FL, where 16 inches of rain in 6 hours triggered a rare flash flood emergency, washing out roads and flooding homes.