The rapidly intensifying Category 5 storm is threatening the northern Caribbean with torrential rain, deadly flooding and widespread power outages.

Hurricane Melissa devastates Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, and others, forcing evacuations and international aid assistance as it heads to Bermuda.

Hurricane Melissa tore through the northern Caribbean and was picking up speed as it churned toward Bermuda Thursday after killing at least 34 people across Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti.

Hurricane Melissa has caused extreme destruction and a rising death total across the Caribbean as the storm moves towards the Bahamas on Oct. 29.

The federal government’s hurricane hunters have continued to fly despite the shutdown. At least two missions — one operated by NOAA on Monday and the second by the Air Force on Tuesday — were aborted when pilots experienced dangerous turbulence passing through the hurricane.

Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane with 185 mph winds. Abnormally warm waters helped make it stronger and more destructive.

The hurricane that tore through the Caribbean this week broke records, rapidly intensifying and surprising some meteorologists.

With Hurricane Melissa bearing down on Jamaica, airlines have rolled out flexible rebooking policies and canceled select flights to affected airports.

Cubans waded through flooded houses Wednesday and authorities in Haiti reported 10 dead as Hurricane Melissa blasted across the Caribbean after devastating swaths of Jamaica.