TROPICAL Storm Melissa is threatening the Caribbean Sea islands with dangerous landslides and life-threatening flooding, as officials today urged residents of flood-prone areas to seek higher ground and shelter.

The eastern region of Jamaica is predicted to see up to 12 inches of rain.

Evan Thompson, director of Jamaica’s Meteorological Service, said: “Now that is significant rainfall, and that is the main thing that we should be mindful of at this time.”

Similar amounts of rainfall are predicted to hit southern Haiti and the southern Dominican Republic into Saturday, with even more rain possible locally, depending on Melissa’s path later in the week.

Heavy rain was also forecast for western Jamaica, southern Hispaniola, Aruba and Puerto Rico.

Storm Melissa had maximum sustained winds of 50mph, according to the United States National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in Miami.

The NHC said the storm could strengthen gradually in the coming days and grow into a hurricane by Friday and a major hurricane by the late weekend.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season — which runs from June 1 to November 30 — with 13 to 18 named storms.

Of those, between five and nine are forecast to become hurricanes, including up to five turning into major hurricanes, with winds of at least 111mph.