Jamaica is bracing for the strongest storm of the year, with US meteorologists warning of "catastrophic and life-threatening winds, flooding, and storm surge".

With wind speeds of up to 175mph (282km/h), Hurricane Melissa is a category five storm - the maximum strength. It is expected to make landfall on the Caribbean island in the early hours of Tuesday, BBC reported.

The storm has already been blamed for the deaths of four people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Meteorologists warn that Melissa's slow pace means it is set to dump torrential rain on affected areas for longer, increasing the risk of deadly flooding and landslides, according to BBC.