Hurricane Melissa live updates: No official death toll in Jamaica

Melissa has strengthened into one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic, with winds of 185 mph and a pressure of 892 mb, according to NOAA. Only one hurricane has had stronger sustained winds (reaching 190 mph) and only two hurricanes have had a lower pressure (888 mb, 882 mb).

The most recent hurricane with 185 mph winds was Dorian, which hit the Bahamas in 2019. Melissa is the strongest since then.

Jamaica’s military and fire brigade will be tasked with search and rescue operations after Hurricane Melissa moves across the island, according to Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica's Disaster Risk Management Council.

"We have equipment that are pre-positioned,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

"Once the request comes in, the team will be ready to go. We have boats, helicopters … you name it," McKenzie said.

The Jamaica Defence Force said it’s also calling up the country's national reserve force.

"Your service matters now more than ever,” commander of the Jamaica National Reserve Brig. Ricardo Blidgen said in a statement. “All of you are essential to the JDF's ability to protect lives, restore stability and support our fellow Jamaicans in their time of need.”

-ABC News’ Ike Ejiochi and Othon Levya

As Hurricane Melissa nears landfall, there are 240,000 Jamaica Public Service customers -- accounting for 35% of all customers -- already without power, according to Daryl Vaz, Jamaica's minister of science, energy, telecommunications and transport.

The outages are mostly in St. Elizabeth, Manchester, St. James and Hanover parishes, officials said.

"Flooding is expected. Landslides are expected. Storm surge is expected," principal director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica Evan Thompson warned on Tuesday morning.

Flooding is already being reported in St. Elizabeth Parish, officials said.

-ABC News’ Othon Leyva

The eyewall of Hurricane Melissa has reached the coast of Jamaica, with landfall expected in the next few hours around Crawford, on the southwest part of the island.

Melissa is packing dangerous 185 mph winds and is moving north-northeast at 9 mph.