As Hurricane Melissa approaches Cuba, the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay is making necessary arrangements for the evacuation of American citizens.

Officials at the base have stated that all U.S. citizens not essential to the mission must leave the island no later than Sunday morning.

According to reports from Fox 13, Hurricane Melissa has intensified into a Category 4 storm and is projected to reach Category 5 status by Sunday evening.

The National Hurricane Center has observed that the storm is experiencing “extreme rapid intensification,” with its wind speeds escalating by 70 mph within a single day.

The slow-moving nature of the storm, combined with anticipated heavy rainfall, poses a significant risk of severe flooding in the northern Caribbean, particularly affecting regions like Haiti and Jamaica, as per NHC predictions.

A Facebook post from the Naval Station advises people to “prepare your belongings,” recommending that individuals pack two weeks’ worth of clothing and necessary medications. Each person will be allowed one 40-pound bag and a carry-on item.

‘Stand by for more directions on when your zone will be called to the Windjammer to get orders. If you are traveling with a pet, please have your orders in hand prior to visiting the Veterinary Clinic. Stay connected to social media for more information, listen to the giant voice, and stay safe.’

The Naval Station organized a series of buses to evacuate personnel and their families, as well as any pets who were quarantined upon arrival at Naval Air Station Pensacola. 

The Naval Station Guantanamo Bay announced that all ‘non-mission essential’ US citizens would be moving off the island ‘no later than Sunday morning’ ahead of Hurricane Melissa

Hurricane Melissa strengthened to a major Category 4 hurricane, and is expected to worsen to a Category 5 on Sunday evening

People fill bags with sand in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Melissa, in Port Royal, Jamaica

Melissa is expected to reach the southern coast of Jamaica as a major hurricane on Monday or Tuesday, as officials urged residents to find shelter. 

The NHC warned that ‘extensive infrastructural damage, long-duration power and communication outages, and potentially prolonged isolation of communities’ are likely in Jamaica and Haiti. 

On Sunday morning, NHC wrote: ‘Seek shelter now. Damaging winds and heavy rainfall today and on Monday will cause catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides before the strongest winds arrive Monday night and Tuesday morning.’

‘Melissa is expected to bring storm total rainfall of 15 to 30 inches to portions of southern Hispaniola and Jamaica through Wednesday, with local maxima of 40 inches possible. Catastrophic flash flooding and numerous landslides are likely,’ the NHC said. 

For eastern Cuba, total rainfall of 10 to 15 inches, with local amounts to 20 inches, is expected by Tuesday into Wednesday resulting in life-threatening flash flooding and numerous landslides.

Eastern Cuba is expected to see 10 to 15 inches of rain by Tuesday in Wednesday, while the Southeast Bahamas are forecast for four to eight inches and Turks and Caicos one to four inches of rainfall.  

The hurricane was reported to have already caused the deaths of three people in Haiti, with two killed in a landslide and another after a tree fell on them during heavy rain, DW reported. 

A fourth person was killed in the Dominican Republic while another remains missing and at least 200 homes have been destroyed. 

The Naval Station organized a series of buses to evacuate personnel and their families, as well as any pets who were quarantined upon arrival at Naval Air Station Pensacola

A person walks down a street flooded by rain in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on October 23

The NHC warned that ‘extensive infrastructural damage, long-duration power and communication outages, and potentially prolonged isolation of communities’ are likely in Jamaica and Haiti

Sandbags in front of the Grace Kennedy building in Jamaica as they prepare for Hurricane Melissa to hit in the early week

Melissa is predicted to keep moving forward, striking Jamaica on Tuesday, then into eastern Cuba before moving through the Bahamas or Turks and Caicos.

The storm is expected to curl northeastward and begin to move faster as the week continues. 

Current forecasts for Melissa’s trajectory remain unclear, but it may next target Bermuda, according to The Weather Channel.

Melissa began as a tropical storm late on Tuesday morning, marking the 13th storm of the season, before it became the fifth hurricane of the season on Saturday afternoon. 

Currently, Hurricane Melissa is not forecasted to have any major impact on the United States expect for rough waters, beach erosion and stormy conditions along the East Coast.