Hurricane Melissa churns toward Cuba after devastating Jamaica with life-threatening flooding and violent winds: Live updates - The storm made landfall in the southwestern part of the island, with des

Hurricane Melissa is expected to hit eastern Cuba after passing Jamaica. NBC News’ Ed Augustin reports on how the island is dealing with power cuts, food shortages and an outbreak of tropical diseases as the storm approaches.

In the last 25 years, a total of 10 major hurricanes have lashed the island. “Cuba is right in the center of things,” a weather historian said.

A hurricane warning is in effect for Eastern Cuba, and the southeastern Bahamas as the storm passes over Jamaica, while a tropical storm warning is in place for Haiti and Turks and Caicos as Melissa is forecasted to cause heavy rainfall and strong winds, leading to flash-flooding and landslides in the region over the next two days.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel urged residents on Tuesday (October 28) to relocate to safe areas ahead of Hurricane Melissa’s approach to eastern Cuba.

Cuba is bracing for Hurricane Melissa as it heads towards Santiago de Cuba, the island’s second-largest city, threatening catastrophic damage at a time the government is already failing to provide the most basic services and thousands are sick because of the rise of mosquito-transmitted diseases and other illnesses linked to poor sanitary conditions.

Historic, life-threatening flash flooding and landslides are expected in portions of Jamaica, southern Haiti and the Dominican Republic through the weekend, the NHC said. Peak storm surge heights could reach 9 to 13 feet above normal tide levels when the storm makes landfall, accompanied by large and powerfully destructive waves.

Jamaica is expected to be in the storm's eyewall, which refers to the band of dense clouds surrounding the eye of the hurricane. The eyewall generally produces the fiercest winds and heaviest rainfall, according to Deanna Hence, a professor of climate, meteorology and atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.