Hurricane Melissa: US Air Force flies into eye of storm, collects data

The specially-equipped reconnaissance aircraft pierced the towering eyewall and plunged into the calm centre of what is rapidly strengthening into a Category 5 cyclone, reported Gulf News.

Storming into the hurricane, the flight collected crucial data, making a stunning video of the event that has now gone viral online.

As per BBC report, the storm has already left three people dead in Jamaica and recorded four deaths in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Forecasters believe it could become the strongest hurricane ever to hit Jamaica, with winds of 175mph (282km/h) and as much as 101cm (40 inches) of rain, the news channel reported.

Continuing to work closely with Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams, the UN is due to deploy additional staff to Cuba and Jamaica this week, as part of wider efforts to bolster emergency preparedness and coordinate response operations on the ground.

In addition, the UN has allocated around $4 million for Cuba from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) ahead of the storm.

Moreover, special focus is being placed on Haiti, a nation already grappling with gang violence, disease, and gender-based violence. OCHA and its partners are assisting national authorities in strengthening preparedness and mitigating the hurricane’s potential impacts.

Authorities in the country reported that priority needs included emergency shelter, essential household items, hygiene and cleaning kits, safe water, and additional logistical support to reach isolated areas.

The World Food Programme is providing logistical support, generators, and food assistance to families in Jamaica – which could experience its most powerful storm on record – while the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has pre-positioned water, sanitation, and child protection supplies.

Meanwhile, the Pan American Health Organization is reinforcing health emergency operations, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is preparing shelter support, and other UN partners are mobilising for relief operations.