ELKHART, Ind. -- Hurricane Melissa is making landfall in Cuba as a category 3 storm, after devastating Jamaica Tuesday. One Elkhart resident trapped in the Caribbean, and meteorologist Oliver Moster has the story.
Melissa hit the island of Jamaica as one of the strongest hurricanes ever in terms of pressure at 892 millibars. And less than thirty miles away from the eye of the storm was Elkhart resident Mark Queener.
Queener, who typically goes to the island nation to celebrate his birthday, spoke to ABC57 right before Melissa made landfall, after we were put into contact with him by a relative.
In our conversation, which he requested would not be aired, Queener said he had evacuated to higher elevation and was riding out the storm in a home with cement walls and the windows boarded up.
On the evacuation process, Queener said, “The government did an evacuation order out of my coast-lying property and told you to go to elevation. And so, the place I'm in is a city called Southfield, it's about 1,700 feet above sea level. So, you know, I think we're pretty secure here, but, I mean, just to be, it’s scary, I mean, simply”
I have reached out to Queener since the hurricane made landfall, but he has not responded.
Cell towers are likely down, but Queener and the family he is staying with have a solar array they plan on setting up, as well as his Starlink system so he can communicate with family and friends as the cleanup begins.