Hurricane Melissa live updates: No official death toll in Jamaica

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.

Michelle Robinson, an attorney with homes and offices in New York and Jamaica, is holed up in an apartment in Kingston as Hurricane Melissa moves in.

“We were OK throughout the night,” she told ABC News Live on Tuesday morning. “Power was going in and out, we had some really strong winds. But so far, we’re hanging in there.”

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NY native on riding out Hurricane Melissa: 'We're hanging in there'Michelle Robinson, an attorney with homes and offices in New York and Jamaica, is currently holed up in an apartment in Kingston.

ABCNews.com

Robinson said she prepared for the hurricane by stocking up on water, food, flashlights and batteries.

“Because of how the building is designed, we’re not really able to board up our windows, so we’re just hoping for the best,” Robinson said.

“We’re just riding it out,” she added.

Robinson said her biggest concern for her area, which is slightly inland, is flooding.

“Where we are, a little bit of rain can cause flooding," she said. "So I’m more concerned about when the heavier rainfall starts that we’re gonna have severe flooding."