Hurricane Melissa was on track to make a direct hit on Jamaica on Tuesday, as the nation’s prime minister warned that no country in the Caribbean could withstand a storm this powerful.

Jamaica, this is not the time to be brave. I’ve been saying for one week, don’t bet against Melissa. It is a bet we can’t win.

As of Wednesday, at least seven people have died in the Caribbean, including three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic, according to the Associated Press —though the official...