*´ºÉ«Ö±²¥

The slow-moving storm was centered about 215 miles (345 kilometers) southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 275 miles (440 kilometers southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (80 kph) and was moving northwest at 5 mph (7 kph), the U.S. ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ Hurricane Center in Miami said.

A hurricane watch was in effect for Jamaica and the southwestern peninsula of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-au-Prince. A tropical storm warning also was in effect for Jamaica.

“The storm has been crawling and moving erratically,� the center said.

‘A recipe for disaster’

Melissa was expected to remain over open water, but move closer to Jamaica and southwestern Haiti later this week. It was expected to strengthen significantly by late Friday and over the weekend.

“The very warm waters and slow movement of this storm are a recipe for disaster,� said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather’s lead hurricane expert. “Rapid intensification into a Category 5 hurricane is not out of the question.�

Barbara Campbell, who works in Kingston, Jamaica's capital, said by phone that she has prepared her home and bought food and water ahead of the storm.

“I'm very worried,� she said.

In Jamaica, officials said that 881 shelters would be made available as needed. Courts were ordered closed and schools were to switch to remote classes on Thursday. Meanwhile, crews placed 1,000 sandbags in the eastern part of Kingston to prevent flooding from a nearby gully.

“Our main focus is to be prepared for what could be a very damaging storm,� Works Minister Roberto Morgan said.

Evan Thompson, director of Jamaica’s Met Service, said that the island’s eastern region could see up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain. “Now that is significant rainfall, and that is the main thing that we should be mindful of at this time,� he said.

Dozens of people were already in shelters in the Dominican Republic, and schools, businesses and government agencies were closed in the nine provinces under alert. Dozens of water supply systems were out of service Wednesday, affecting more than 500,000 customers.

“People must remain in their homes for security reasons,� said Juan Manel Méndez García, emergency operations director.

Similar rainfall amounts were expected for southern Haiti and the southern Dominican Republic through Saturday, with even more rain possible locally depending on Melissa's path later in the week. Heavy rain also was forecast for western Jamaica, southern Hispaniola, Aruba and .

Storm sparks concern for Haiti

People were concerned about the storm's impact in Haiti, which has been devastated given widespread erosion. Gang violence, mean storm preparations are limited.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, announced Thursday that $4 million was set aside to help more than 10,000 vulnerable people in Haiti before the storm. The money will go toward lifesaving evacuation support, cash transfers, emergency shelter management and water, sanitation and hygiene kits, the agency said.

Flooding is a big concern since Haiti reported 139 suspected cholera cases and five deaths in one week alone earlier this month after nearly three months of no cases.

“This outbreak is unfolding amid a severe deterioration of basic services in the capital, where only 11% of health facilities with inpatient capacity remain fully operational,� OCHA said.

Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, and the first named storm to form in the Caribbean this year.

The U.S. ´ºÉ«Ö±²¥ Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had predicted an above-normal season with 13 to 18 named storms. Of those, five to nine were forecast to become hurricanes, including two to five major hurricanes, which pack winds of 111 mph (178 kph) or greater.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

___

Associated Press reporter Evens Sanon in Port-au-Prince, Haiti contributed.

____

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at