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THIS IS A NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM MELISSA ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE AT 12PM WEDNESDAY 22ND OCTOBER, 2025.

...MELISSA DRIFTING WEST-NORTHWARD IN THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN…HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING EXPECTED OVER PORTIONS OF HISPANIOLA AND JAMAICA OVER THE REMAINDER OF THIS WEEK...

 AT 11:00 AM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM MELISSA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.4° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 73.6° WESTOR ABOUT 300 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF PORT AU PRINCE HAITI AND ABOUT 325 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KINGSTON JAMAICA.

MELISSA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 2 MILES PER HOUR. A CONTINUED SLOW FORWARD SPEED AND A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTHWEST AND NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS FOLLOWED BY A TURN BACK WESTWARD BY THE END OF THE WEEK. ON THE FORECAST TRACK MELISSA IS EXPECTED TO APPROACH JAMAICA AND THE SOUTHWESTERN PORTION OF HAITI LATER THIS WEEK.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS ANTICIPATED DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND MELISSA COULD BECOME A HURRICANE BY FRIDAY.

NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM MELISSA ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 6AM WEDNESDAY 22ND, OCTOBER 2025

....MELISSA RE-FORMS TO THE NORTHEAST

HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING EXPECTED OVER PORTIONS OF HISPANIOLAAND JAMAICA...

AT 500 AM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM MELISSA WAS LOCATED BY AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT NEAR LATITUDE 14.3 NORTH, LONGITUDE 73.5 WEST. MELISSA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 7 MPH (11 KM/H). A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED AND A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTHWEST AND NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, MELISSA IS EXPECTED TO APPROACH JAMAICA AND THE SOUTHWESTERN PORTION OF HAITI LATER THIS WEEK.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH (85 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME GRADUAL STRENGTHENING IS ANTICIPATED DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS, AND MELISSA COULD BECOME A HURRICANE ON THURSDAY

Alert #22 on Tropical Storm Imelda issued by The Bahamas Department of Meteorology, Monday September 29th, 2025, at 9 am EDT.   

 …Tropical storm conditions continue over the Extreme Northwest Bahamas and Imelda is forecast to become a Hurricane on Tuesday…

 Tropical Storm Warning is discontinued for the Central Bahamas and parts of the Northwest Bahamas as of 6am September 29th, 2025.  The All Clear is therefore given for New Providence, Andros, Berry Islands, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Long Island, Exuma and its Cays and Cat Island.

 The All Clear means that these islands will no longer be impacted by Tropical Storm conditions.  However, Heavy rain with isolated thunderstorms can still be experienced as a result of outer bands from Imelda.

 A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the islands of the Extreme Northwest Bahamas.  This includes the islands of Eleuthera, Abaco, Grand Bahama and all surrounding Cays. 

Tropical Storm Warning means that Tropical Storm Conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.

 At 8 am EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Imelda was located near latitude 26.3 degrees north and longitude 77.0 degrees west, or about 58 miles Northwest of Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, 32 miles North of Sandy Point, Abaco, 15 miles North of Marsh Harbor, Abaco, 51 miles East of East End Grand Bahama and 92 miles Northeast of New Providence.    

 Imelda is moving toward the north near 9 miles-per-hour, and a generally northward motion is expected to continue today. On Tuesday, Imelda is expected to turn sharply to the east-northeast.  On the forecast track, the center of the system is expected to move across Abaco today and out of The Bahamas by tonight. 

 Maximum sustained winds are near 50 miles-per-hour with higher gusts.  Strengthening is forecast and Imelda could become a Hurricane on Tuesday. 

 Tropical Storm force winds extend outwards up to 175 miles mainly to the east of the center. 

 Moderate to heavy rainfall is now being experienced over Abaco, Grand Bahama and Eleuthera and is expected to continue through today. 

 Even though the All Clear is given for the islands of New Providence, Andros, Berry Islands, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Long Island, Exuma and its Cays and Cat Island, there will continue to be scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms throughout today.  Residents in these islands should also be aware that due to the excessive rainfall experienced during the past several days, there are some extreme flooding throughout the islands and should not leave home unless it is absolutely necessary. 

 Rainfall amounts in the Central and Southeast Bahamas are anticipated to be between 4 to 8 inches with isolated amounts up to 10 inches.  Residents in low-lying areas should continue taking actions to mitigate property damages due to flooding.

 Storm surge will raise water levels 1 to 3 feet above normal tide along the coast of Abaco, the north and east coasts of Grand Bahamas, and all nearby Cays today. 

Alert #21 on Tropical Storm Imelda issued by The Bahamas Department of Meteorology, Monday September 29th, 2025, at 6 am EDT.   

 …Imelda moves into the extreme Northwest Bahamas and is forecast to become a Hurricane on Tuesday…

 Tropical Storm Watch is discontinued for the Central Bahamas and parts of the Northwest Bahamas as of 6am September 29th, 2025.  The All Clear is therefore given for New Providence, Andros, Berry Islands, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Long Island, Exuma and its Cays and Cat Island.

 The All Clear means that these islands will no longer be impacted by Tropical Storm conditions.  However, Heavy rain with isolated thunderstorms can still be experienced as a result of outer bands from Imelda.

 A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the islands of the Extreme Northwest Bahamas.  This includes the islands of Eleuthera, Abaco, Grand Bahama and all surrounding Cays. 

 Tropical Storm Warning means that Tropical Storm Conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.

 At 6am EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Imelda was located near latitude 25.5 degrees north and longitude 77.1 degrees west, or about 25 miles west of Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, 30 miles South-southeast of Sandy Point, Abaco, 70 miles South of Marsh Harbor, Abaco, 90 miles Southeast of East End Grand Bahama and 35 miles Northeast of New Providence.    

 Imelda is moving toward the north near 8 miles-per-hour, and a generally northward motion is expected to continue today. On Tuesday, Imelda is expected to turn sharply to the east-northeast.  On the forecast track, the center of the system is expected to move across Abaco today and out of The Bahamas by tonight. 

 Maximum sustained winds are near 45 miles-per-hour with higher gusts.  Strengthening is forecast and Imelda could become a Hurricane on Tuesday. 

 Tropical Storm force winds extend outwards up to 175 miles mainly to the east of the center. 

 Moderate to heavy rainfall is now being experienced over Abaco, Grand Bahama and Eleuthera and is expected to continue through today. 

Even though the All Clear is given for the islands of New Providence, Andros, Berry Islands, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Long Island, Exuma and its Cays and Cat Island, there will continue to be scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms throughout today.  Residents in these islands should also be aware that due to the excessive rainfall experienced during the past several days, there is some extreme flooding throughout the islands and should not leave home unless it is absolutely necessary. 

Rainfall amounts in the Central and Southeast Bahamas are anticipated to be between 4 to 8 inches with isolated amounts up to 10 inches.  Residents in low-lying areas should continue taking actions to mitigate property damages due to flooding.

Storm surge will raise water levels 1 to 3 feet above normal tide along the coast of Abaco, the north and east coasts of Grand Bahamas, and all nearby Cays today. 

Alert #20 on Tropical Storm Imelda issued by The Bahamas Department of Meteorology, Monday September 29th, 2025, at 3am EDT.   

 ...IMELDA GRADUALLY STRENGTHENING...

 A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for the islands of the Northwest and Central Bahamas.  This includes the islands of Eleuthera, New Providence, Abaco, Andros, Berry Islands, Grand Bahama San Salvador, Rum Cay, Long Island, Exuma and its Cays and Cat Island.

 A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case, within 12 hours.

 At 2am EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Imelda was located near latitude 25.1 degrees north and longitude 77.1 degrees west, or about 50 miles northeast of Andros Town, Andros, 70 miles South of South Abaco, 121 miles South-southeast of East End, Grand Bahama and 10 miles east-northeast of eastern New Providence. 

 Imelda is moving toward the north near 8 mph and a general northward motion is expected to continue today. On the forecast track, the center of the system is expected to move near South Abaco later this morning then continue northward into the southwestern Atlantic by tonight as a Tropical Storm.    

 Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is expected during the next few days, and Imelda is forecast to become a hurricane by Tuesday.

 Tropical-storm-force winds now extend outward up to 175 miles from the center.

 The estimated minimum central pressure is 996 mb based on Air Force Reserve reconnaissance dropsonde data.

 Moderate to heavy rainfall and scattered thunderstorms will continue across the Central and Northwest Bahamas today. Tropical storm-force winds are also expected to persist over the Northwest and parts of the Central Bahamas, with impacts spreading to the Northern Bahamas later today as Imelda continues to strengthen and move northward.

 Rainfall amounts in the Northwest and Central Bahamas are anticipated to be between 4 to 8 inches with isolated amounts up to 10 inches.  Residents in low-lying areas should take actions to mitigate property damages due to flooding.

 Storm surge will raise water levels 1 to 3 feet above normal tide along the coast of Abaco, the north and east coasts of Grand Bahama, and all nearby cays today.

LANDMARK WIN FOR BLACK POINT: YNTEGRA GETS “GREEN LIGHT” TO BUILD LONG-AWAITED COMMUNITY CENTER & CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE SHELTER

Yntegra Group obtained approval from the BlackPoint Community Development & Regatta Association to proceed with the construction and completion of a Black Point Community Center.

This milestone marks a historic moment for the people of Black Point and a profound sign oftrust from the Association in the name of progress for the community. For years, Black Point hassought a dedicated space that functions as both a vibrant gathering hub and a critical Category5-certified hurricane shelter. By granting the “green light” to this proposal, the Association haspaved the way for a project that will make things better for every resident for generations tocome. This achievement reflects the strength of collaboration between the community, YntegraGroup, and the Association,and represents a clear example of how foreign investment cancreate meaningful, lasting benefits for Bahamians. 

Black Point currently relies on churches for hurricane shelters, resulting in a capacity of fewerthan 200 people, which is about 50% of the population. This facility will be the largest and thefirst facility of its kind in the Exumas, based on the recently established shelter in Abaco, andbuilt to withstand Category-5 hurricane conditions. 

Yntegra Chief Executive Felipe MacLean expressed his gratitude:

"For us, this has never been a question of if, but when. The direction set at the nationallevel has made it clear that local communities must benefit from development. We areproud to move forward in a way that aligns with that vision and are incredibly thankfulfor the continuous support of the people of Black Point and for the trust the Associationhas placed in us to deliver something so vital to their daily lives and safety. This is morethan just a building; the community center will impact the lives of families in Black Pointand create jobs. It is the heart of our ongoing commitment to a long-term partnershipthat ensures everyone benefits from our project in a meaningful way. We are grateful tothe Association and the Government for working together to move this initiativeforward.”

As a 100% community-owned space, the center will serve the people of Black Point directly.Yntegra will neither own nor operate the facility, ensuring it remains a true asset of theresidents. To ensure rapid and professional progress, Yntegra will:

● Supply Heavy Equipment: Moving construction machinery to the site immediately toenable efficient progress.

● Prioritize Local Hiring: Creating immediate job opportunities for Black Point residents tohelp build their own community's future.

Local hiring for construction workers is expected to begin immediately, with a dedicated hiringmanager supporting the recruitment of interested residents from Black Point.

This achievement reinforces Yntegra’s refusal to allow external legal delays to hinder essentialcommunity progress. The company remains dedicated to tangible actions that improveinfrastructure, safety, and local opportunity in the Exuma and the Cays.

In a ceremony at the U.S. Embassy, newly arrived Ambassador Herschel Walker presented a $500,000 grant to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support shelter, water and sanitation relief in The Bahamas in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. IFRC Program and Operations Manager Rhea Pierre, and Bahamas Red Cross President Edison Sumner, accepted the grant on behalf of the IFRC. 

The Honorable I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation represented the Right Honorable Prime Minister.

“This grant ensures that vulnerable populations receive needed assistance as they recover from Hurricane Melissa and that The Bahamas Red Cross is equipped and ready to provide pre-positioned assistance during the next hurricane,” stated Ambassador Walker.

“I am truly glad that the United States has provided this assistance so that folks in impacted areas can rebuild and return to normal life.” 

“Hurricane Melissa has shown just how critical anticipatory action is in safeguarding communities across the Caribbean,” stated Necephor Mghendi, IFRC Head of Delegation for the English and Dutch Speaking Caribbean. “In the region — and especially in countries like The Bahamas — the Red Cross is fully committed to meeting urgent needs with speed and dignity. With the support of partners such as the U.S. Department of State, the IFRC is working hand in hand with the Bahamas Red Cross, national authorities, and local partners to deliver life-saving shelter, safe water, essential relief items, and targeted support that helps families stay safe today while strengthening their resilience for tomorrow.” 

“Through the IFRC-supported project addressing humanitarian needs related to Hurricane Melissa, funded by the U.S. Department of State, the Bahamas Red Cross is expanding its capacity to deliver life-saving assistance,” said BRC President Sumner. “This includes emergency shelter, water and sanitation services, and essential non-food items crucial for affected communities. With IFRC’s technical and operational support, we are preparing to implement a conditional cash and voucher assistance programme that will enable families to purchase construction materials to repair their damaged homes from local suppliers and vendors—preserving dignity, ensuring safety, and speeding their return to normal life.” 

The grant will support the efforts of the IFRC and Bahamas Red Cross to repair homes and shelters and restock essential disaster relief supplies including cots, hygiene kits, blankets and essential household items. The funding will also enable 300 families in the Southern Bahamas to carry out essential repairs to their homes and return safely. 

The United States has provided nearly $37 million to date in emergency, life-saving assistance and on-the-ground support throughout the region in response to Hurricane Melissa. This funding enabled critical efforts by our Disaster Assistance Recovery Team (DART) and search-and-rescue teams from Los Angeles and Fairfax Counties to assist communities in need.  

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to helping our neighbors recover from this disaster,” stated Ambassador Walker. “Our deep friendship with The Bahamas demands no less.” 

PwC firms across the Caribbean have come together to raise more than US$180,000 (JM$29m) in cash to help with recovery efforts in Jamaica following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. The collective fundraising initiative saw contributions from staff, partners, and PwC entities throughout the region, demonstrating a powerful commitment to supporting the Jamaican community.

The funds will provide essential aid to those in greatest need. The majority of the funds will be donated to Food for the Poor, a leading relief organization, to support its vital humanitarian efforts. The remainder will be dedicated to helping PwC staff and their families who were directly impacted by the hurricane. In addition to the cash donation, PwC Jamaica is also providing pro bono advisory services to help navigate the challenges of recovery.

Prince Rahming, Territory Leader, PwC Bahamas, said:

“As a Caribbean family, we know the devastating impacts of hurricanes, and our thoughts are with the people and communities in Jamaica impacted by Hurricane Melissa. We're proud to join forces with our regional firms to provide support for those in need. Together, we stand united, committed to aiding the recovery in Jamaica.

Bruce Scott, Territory Leader, PwC Jamaica, said: 

The outpouring of support from our people, our partners, and our firms across the Caribbean has been truly overwhelming. It is a testament to our collective spirit and shared values. In this difficult moment, we reinforce our unwavering commitment to Jamaica. Working together, we will support our communities and our people as we navigate the path to recovery."

PwC Jamaica’s office in Kingston has reopened and resumed normal daily operations. The situation in Montego Bay is being closely monitored.

Frazer Lindsay, CEO of the PwC member firms operating in the Caribbean said:

"I am incredibly proud to see how quickly and generously our people mobilised to support those affected in Jamaica. This is who we are. Knowing the resilience of the Caribbean people, and especially Jamaicans, I have no doubt that the nation will not only recover but will emerge stronger. We are here to help shape that comeback."

Just 48 hours after the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, Liberty Latin America Ltd. (“Liberty Latin America” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: LILA and LILAK, OTC Link: LILAB), in partnership with the Liberty Caribbean Foundation, successfully airlifted essential humanitarian and technical supplies to support recovery efforts throughout Jamaica.

A chartered X-Cargo A321 aircraft transported vital items, including potable water, non-perishable food, hygiene products, flashlights, residential generators, and critical network restoration equipment to Kingston. “This initial delivery was made possible through the extraordinary support of our partners and suppliers,” said Aamir Hussain, Chief Technology and Product Officer, Liberty Latin America. “We extend our sincere gratitude to Wesco-Anixter, EFL, IBC Airways - GlobalX, Starlink, Digicomm, Tarana, and Viavi for their invaluable contributions.”

The flight arrived in Kingston before dawn, where Flow Jamaica’s local operations team immediately began distributing supplies to the hardest-hit communities. “The coordination with our Liberty Latin America and Liberty Caribbean team in Miami, supporting as a second command center has been constant and efficient,” said Stephen Price, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Jamaica. “We have mobilized multiple relief teams across the island and are prepared to continue receiving shipments that will help save lives.”

The Liberty Caribbean Foundation is calling on the public and corporate partners to join in scaling relief efforts. Donations will fund the procurement and delivery of food, potable water, emergency kits, and connectivity services for affected families, as well as support long-term recovery programs in severely impacted areas. Contributions can be made securely online at: https://www.libertycaribbeanfoundation.org/hurricane-relief.

ABOUT LIBERTY LATIN AMERICA 

Liberty Latin America is a leading communications company operating in over 20 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean under the consumer brands BTC, Flow, Liberty and Más Móvil. The communications and entertainment services that we offer to our residential and business customers in the region include digital video, broadband internet, telephony and mobile services. Our business products and services include enterprise-grade connectivity, data center, hosting and managed solutions, as well as information technology solutions with customers ranging from small and medium enterprises to international companies and governmental agencies. In addition, Liberty Latin America operates a subsea and terrestrial fiber optic cable network that connects more than 30 markets in the region.

Liberty Latin America has three separate classes of common shares, which are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbols “LILA” (Class A) and “LILAK” (Class C), and on the OTC link under the symbol “LILAB” (Class B). 

For more information, please visit www.lla.com or contact:

ABOUT LIBERTY CARIBBEAN 

Liberty Caribbean (formerly named C&W Communications), part of Liberty Latin America, is a leading communications and technology provider, with operations in more than 20 markets across the Caribbean delivering broadband, mobile, video, and voice services to residential customers through the consumer brands Flow and BTC. 

Through its B2B division, Liberty Business, the company delivers enterprise-grade connectivity, cloud, security, and data center services to businesses and governments — supporting economic growth in an increasingly digital world. 

With a legacy spanning more than 150 years, Liberty Caribbean remains steadfastly anchored in the region – providing robust networks, personalized local support, and tailored solutions that truly resonate with the people and communities we serve.

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastation, the Liberty Caribbean Foundation has activated an urgent regional response to support colleagues, families, and communities across Jamaica.

With relief supplies staged and logistics in place, the charitable arm of Flow and Liberty Business – working alongside Liberty Caribbean’s regional crisis teams and partners across Liberty Latin America – stands ready to move essential food, water, emergency kits and connectivity solutions into affected areas as soon as local authorities grant safe access.

Accounting for staff safety remains the priority and teams are focused on confirming the wellbeing of every employee; while outreach is ongoing, this mobilisation means relief shipments could begin at the earliest opportunity, subject to official clearance.

“Our first duty is to our people and to the communities who rely on us,” said Inge Smidts, Chief Executive Officer, Liberty Caribbean.

“We have assembled resources across the region to ensure a swift, coordinated and responsible response. Wherever we can safely deliver assistance, we will be there – providing immediate relief now and standing with communities in the longer recovery ahead.”

The Foundation is coordinating closely with national and local authorities, community organisations and trusted relief partners to target assistance efficiently, avoid duplication, and ensure aid reaches the most vulnerable households and shelter populations.

In parallel, Liberty Caribbean’s crisis-management teams continue to prioritise employee welfare and the restoration of critical connections and communications infrastructure.

“We recognise that recovery will be a sustained effort,” added Smidts. “Beyond emergency supplies, we are committed to partnering with local organisations on rebuilding and resilience initiatives that restore livelihoods and strengthen communities. The Foundation will remain engaged for as long as it takes.”

Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica on October 28 as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. This tied the storm with Hurricane Dorian (2019) and the "Labor Day" hurricane (1935) for the strongest Atlantic hurricane landfall on record by wind speed.

The Foundation is requesting the support of public and corporate partners to scale relief operations.

Donations will directly fund the procurement and delivery of food, clean water, emergency kits and connectivity services for affected families, and will support longer-term recovery programmes in hardest-hit communities. Those wishing to donate can do so securely online at: https://www.libertycaribbeanfoundation.org/hurricane-relief.

Bahamasair wishes to address recent media reports concerning passengers who were in Jamaica during the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

We categorically refute any suggestion that Bahamasair abandoned its passengers. As the national flag carrier, the safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priorities. In every potential crisis, particularly those involving natural disasters, Bahamasair follows strict crisis management and emergency response protocols designed to minimize risk and ensure safety.

The first official alert regarding Hurricane Melissa was issued on October 21st, and all affected passengers were promptly notified of the developing weather system, the potential impact on travel, and the possibility that Bahamasair might be unable to operate flights once conditions worsened. From that time onward, Bahamasair worked closely with relevant authorities to monitor the storm and plan an appropriate course of action. The airline also maintained, and continues to uphold, open lines of communication with group representatives in Jamaica, including the group’s selected point person responsible for information dissemination among members of the group.

A relief flight was operated from Jamaica prior to the storm’s peak, providing all affected passengers with the opportunity to return safely to The Bahamas. The airline stayed within the operational window necessary to guarantee safety and successfully evacuated all passengers who arrived at the airport within the required timeframe before conditions worsened.

In the specific instance highlighted in recent media reports, the group lead made the decision to stay and advised that members of her group could take the relief flight if they wished to do so. None of the group members presented themselves at the airport within the required timeframe, and operations had to be suspended once weather conditions deteriorated.

We recognize the distress experienced by those affected by Hurricane Melissa and extend our empathy to all who were impacted by this powerful storm. Bahamasair remains committed to serving with integrity, care, and safety at the forefront of our operations.

We thank our passengers for their patience and understanding during this natural disaster. Bahamasair will continue to liaise with the relevant authorities and, once it is deemed safe to operate, will dispatch additional flights to assist Bahamians, residents, and visitors returning or traveling to The Bahamas.

AT 500 PM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE MELISSA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE30.2 NORTH, LONGITUDE 69.7 WEST OR ABOUT 325 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OFBERMUDA.

MELISSA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 31 MPH, AN EVEN FASTERMOTION TOWARD THE NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED INTO SATURDAY. A GRADUAL TURNTOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED ON SUNDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK,THE CENTER OF MELISSA IS EXPECTED TO PASS TO THE NORTHWEST OF BERMUDATHIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 105 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLECHANGE IN STRENGTH IS LIKELY THROUGH EVENING, BUT A WEAKENING TREND ISEXPECTED TO BEGIN BY EARLY FRIDAY.

A Hurricane Warning is now in effect for the Central and Southeast Bahamas. This includes Exuma and its Cays, Ragged Island, Rum Cay, Long Island, San Salvador, Cat Island, Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, Mayaguana, and Inagua.  
 
A Hurricane Warning means that Hurricane conditions are expected in the mentioned islands within 36 hours. 
 
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands
 
A Tropical Storm Warning means that Tropical Storm conditions are expected in the mentioned islands within 36 hours
 
At 8 PM EDT, the eye of Hurricane Melissa was located near latitude 18.8 degrees north and longitude 77.2 degrees west, or about 50 miles East Northeast of Montego Bay, Jamaica, 160 miles Southwest of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 250 miles Southwest of Duncan Town, Ragged Island, 295 miles Southwest of Salina Point, Acklins, 270 miles South Southwest of Matthew Town, Inagua, 380 miles South Southwest of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 370 miles South Southwest of Abraham’s Bay, Mayaguana, and 425 miles South of New Providence.
 
Hurricane Melissa is moving toward the North-Northeast near 8 miles per hour.  A turn toward the northeast is expected later this evening, and a faster motion in that direction is expected on Wednesday and Thursday.  On the forecast track, the core of Melissa is expected to move over eastern Cuba later tonight and early Wednesday morning, and move across the Southeast or Central Bahamas later on Wednesday.
 
Maximum sustained winds are now near 125 miles per hour with higher gusts. Hurricane Melissa is a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Melissa is expected to remain a powerful hurricane when it moves across Cuba and The Bahamas. 

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 195 miles. 

Residents in the Central and Southeast Bahamas (especially those islands set to receive the strongest impact), as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands, should rush to complete all preparations for possible Tropical Storm and Hurricane conditions beginning early Wednesday morning and continuing through Thursday.  Residents in the Northern and Northwest Bahamas should closely monitor Alerts issued by the Bahamas Department of Meteorology and be ready to prepare for possible Tropical Storm or Hurricane conditions.
 
Potential Impacts:
 
Hurricane Melissa, if it follows the forecast track, will bring extended periods of violent winds, heavy rain, and widespread inland and coastal flooding, along with hazardous sea conditions to the islands in the Central and Southeast Bahamas, as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands, from Wednesday through Thursday. The islands expected to experience the strongest impact are Ragged Island, Long Island, Acklins, Crooked Island, Samana Cay, Rum Cay, San Salvador, and the mainland of Exuma. However, the extent of the impact depends on Melissa's strength as it moves through the Central and Southeast Bahamas.
 
Rainfall Amount:
 
A total rainfall of 5 to 10 inches is expected over the Southeast Bahamas through Wednesday, resulting in severe flooding in the islands. Expected rainfall totals for the Turks and Caicos Islands are approximately 1 to 3 inches
 
Storm Surge:
 
A storm surge of 5 to 8 feet above normally dry ground is possible in the Southeast Bahamas, and 2 to 4 feet in the Turks and Caicos Islands on Wednesday.

Liberty Caribbean, operators of Flow Jamaica andLiberty Business communicate data messaging connectivity is now available to over70% of its mobile data customers through Starlink Direct to Cell satellites in theaftermath of devastating Hurricane Melissa.

As Hurricane Melissa made landfall in the parish of St. Elizabeth early Tuesdaymorning the company announced it was able to deliver emergency connectivity viaSMS and text services to its customers. This was possible through spectrum approvedvia the Spectrum Management Authority and the Ministry of Energy, Transport, andTelecommunications to allow the company to collaborate with Starlink’s Direct to Cellservices.

‘The availability of our FLOW Essential service provided basic SMS and textmessaging as Hurricane Melissa made landfall. Throughout the day we workedclosely with Starlink and their Direct to Cell division to restore as many communicationoptions as possible to our customers in Jamaica and now we’re able to also offer datamessaging connectivity to over 70% of our mobile data customers,” said Inge Smidts,CEO Liberty Caribbean. “This means we can now provide essential emergencymobile data connectivity in addition to SMS and text on the FLOW Starlink network,”she added.

“Nation rebuilding and the road to recovery will be long, given the magnitude of thestorm and sheer devastation left in its wake. The ability to communicate will be criticaland we wanted to give our customers one less thing to worry about,” Smidtsconcluded.

This collaboration between Liberty Caribbean and Starlink will offer island widenetwork redundancy to deliver satellite connectivity seamlessly direct to mobilecustomers while the local mobile network infrastructure is unavailable.

Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), a Liberty Caribbean company, accelerated its disaster protocols as it prepares for the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which is taking aim at some of the Family Islands in The Bahamas.

Catastrophic, category five Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica early Tuesday morning, leaving indescribable destruction and devastation in its wake. Currently projected to downgrade to a category two storm, Melissa is expected to impact around 11 major islands of the archipelago from as far north as Long Island to as far south as San Salvador.

The effects of the storm are expected to be felt as early as 8 pm Wednesday. “Our main priority is the safety of our employees. Firstly, we’ve provided evacuation efforts getting our people directly out of harm’s way,” said BTC’s CEO Sameer Bhatti. “We’re also providing our customers with storm-ready offers giving them the ability to keep connected,” he added

Ahead of the storm’s approach, the company has completed its technical and extensive pre-storm preparation that includes equipment fortification and the deployment of back-up power sources to minimize potential disruptions. In anticipation of moderate impact to its infrastructure, it implemented safety measures to address service-affecting events such as commercial power outages, flooding, and even physical damage to towers and facilities because of the storm’s impact.

“Our commitment to keeping the people of The Bahamas safe and connected is foremost on our mind,’ said Inge Smidts, CEO Liberty Caribbean, “We’re on standby to support the people of The Bahamas in every way possible, whether through delivering innovative emergency communication access or humanitarian relief through our Liberty Caribbean Foundation,” she concluded.

BTC has also set up an emergency hurricane hotline for customers in the affected islands and is encouraging customers to reach out to 242-225-5722 for further assistance.