Hurricane Melissa, now a powerful Category 5 storm, is bearing down on Jamaica and is forecast to be the worst storm in the island's history.

Hurricane Melissa has been cutting a deadly path through the Caribbean, strengthening into a Category 4 storm as it crawled along a worryingly slow course towards Jamaica and the island of Hispaniola.

Portions of the island have already been doused with more than a foot of rain during Melissa’s approach, and forecasters said up to 30 more inches could be on the way.