Hurricane Melissa has strengthened into a major Category 3 hurricane, unleashing torrential rain and threatening to cause catastrophic flooding in the northern Caribbean, including Haiti and Jamaica.

Hurricane Melissa is on track to rapidly strenghten and could become a major Category 5 hurricane, according to the NHC, Saturday, Oct. 25.

Jamaican leaders are warning residents to take Hurricane Melissa seriously as the powerful storm moves closer to the island, threatening damaging winds, flooding and landslides.

Jamaica's central location in the Caribbean, the island has never recorded a direct landfall from a Category 4 or 5 hurricane, according to records from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) dating back to 1850.

Life-threatening flooding, landslides and storm surge are expected in Jamaica and southern Hispaniola as Melissa continues to strengthen.

The storm sits 160 miles from Kingston, Jamaica and 325 miles from Port-Au-Prince, Haiti as of Saturday morning.

Hurricane Melissa rapidly intensified into a major Category 3 storm late Saturday, bringing torrential rain and life-threatening flooding to Jamaica, Haiti and parts of the northern Caribbean

Tallahassee residents with roots on the island are staying strong and "prayed up" for their loved ones who are bracing themselves for the storm.